Meta Connect 2025 7 things we learned from a packed keynote with plenty of smart glasses

Date:
Thu, 18 Sep 2025 02:51:43 +0000

Description:
Read through for our roundup of the 7 biggest announcements from Meta Connect 2025 so you can get up to speed in no time, including on the new Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses.

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Thats it, Meta Connect 2025 is done and dusted, and it was a jam-packed under-an-hour show filled to the brim with smart glasses galore that we cant wait to sink our teeth into.

The star of the show was, of course, the new Meta Ray-Ban Display , which finally added a screen to the Ray-Ban smart glasses we know and love. We also got to see new Oakley Vanguard smart glasses that look perfect for sports,
Gen 2 Ray-Ban smart glasses that offer a handful of upgrades over whats come before, and James Cameron almost spoiled the next Quest headset before Mark Zuckerberg ran away with Diplo.

If you didnt tune in live, youre in luck. Weve got a round-up here for you of the 7 biggest announcements from the event so you can get up to speed in no time. 1. Meta Ray-Ban Display dropped (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

We knew it was coming, but the announcement is no less exciting. Metas Ray-Bans finally come with a screen, which will help you perform more
everyday tasks with your spectacles, including checking messages, previewing your smart glasses photos, and getting around town with on-screen directions.

While not the first smart glasses with a display weve tried, what's cool
about Metas specs is that the screen is full color, which should make it more useful than the typically monochromatic display glasses weve tested so far (like the Rokid Glasses ). They boast a solid battery life to boot. Meta is promising up to six hours of mixed-use battery life and up to 30 hours of battery life total if you use the charging case, which is collapsible for easier storage while youre wearing the specs.

The only downside is that the glasses are noticeably chunky, though weve had hands-on time with them, and in our demo, we didnt find them to be less comfortable than Metas previous glasses.

As expected, youll also need to pay a higher price for Metas display specs. The glasses start at $799 (other regional prices TBC), and theyll launch in the US on September 30, which will sneak up on us fast.

Meta says itll expand availability to Canada, France, Italy, and the UK in early 2026. Read our first look at the Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses here . @techradar

original sound - TechRadar 2. Meta launched a smart band sorta (Image credit: Meta)

If you pick up the Meta Ray-Ban Display, youll not only get new glasses but a new smart band in the form of a Meta Neural Band.

This EMG wristband is a lot like the one weve used with Metas Orion prototype
its in-development AR glasses and it lets you control your glasses using hand movements, which can even be quite subtle motions.

The band apparently relies on deep learning algorithms based on data from nearly 200,000 consenting research participants , with Meta adding that this means that nearly everyone should be able to use the band out of the box.

Youll only need the band to control your glasses, and it should last you the whole day with an 18-hour battery life and reasonable IPX7 water rating itll survive heavy rain, just dont forget to take it off before you swim. @techradar

original sound - TechRadar 3. Gen 2 Ray-Bans are coming too (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Meta didnt just give us new Ray-Ban specs with a display; it also launched
Gen 2 versions of its Ray-Ban glasses, which it calls the worlds best-selling AI glasses (based on sales data as of July 2025).

In terms of design, theyre basically identical to Metas existing Ray-Ban
smart glasses, but with up to two times as much battery life (now up to eight hours) and higher resolution 3K Ultra HD video capture, they should be a more useful AI accessory.

The Gen 1 specs are sticking around for now, too, though theyre sticking at their original price as the Gen 2 glasses start at a higher cost of $379 /
379 / AU$599. Were waiting on regional pricing for non-standard lenses, but
in the US, polarized lenses will set you back $409, while Transitions lenses are $459 with this being the most expensive option and the one we think most people would find useful based on our experience with the Gen 1 Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. @techradar

original sound - TechRadar 4. Oakley Vanguard will up your sporting game (Image credit: Meta)

Not to be outdone, Meta's other EssilorLuxotica collab brand, Oakley, gave us a brand new pair of smart glasses in the form of Vanguard, which follows on from the HSTN smart glasses the duo launched earlier this year.

These athletic shades take on a more visor-like wrap-around design, shifting the camera from the temple (where it is on Metas other specs) to the glasses center sitting on the nose bridge.

They rely on Oakleys PRIZM lenses, which are designed to boost the contrast
of your vision so you can more easily spot changes in the terrain you're running or cycling on. This should help you be better prepared. Youll also find they come outfitted with a few technological upgrades over the HSTN
specs to focus more on being your perfect sporting companion than a fashionable accessory.

Firstly, they boast Metas most powerful speakers on its AI glasses yet.
Theyre 6dB louder than the HSTN glasses, which should make it easier to hear what your glasses are saying over the sound of 30mph wind blowing past you as you cycle.

Secondly, you can use the Meta AI app to pair your glasses with compatible Garmin tech and Strava. Using these integrations, you can say something like Hey Meta, whats my heart rate? or Hey Meta, how am I doing? to get real-time insights into your fitness to know if youre pushing yourself too hard or on pace to record a PB.

Meta has also added an auto-capture feature that allows the glasses to automatically capture video when you reach distance milestones, increase your heart rate, or reach a new elevation. We can imagine this being an excellent way to document your next marathon. @techradar

original sound - TechRadar 5. Metas adding more content options to Quest (Image credit: Future)

While much of the focus at Meta Connect was on the 2025 lineup of smart glasses, Mark Zuckerberg couldnt let an entire keynote go by without addressing the Quest line of VR headsets. This time, the spotlight was on entertainment content, going beyond VR games like several Star Wars titles
and the forthcoming Deadpool VR experience .

Dubbed Horizon TV, this will serve as the one-stop hub within Quest headsets for discovering content, and its bringing a major new service to the
platform. Disney+ is arriving for easy access to popular TV shows and movies from one of the top streaming services, and Horizon TV will add support for Dolby Vision later this year to join the Dolby Atmos sound it already offers to deliver a more immersive entertainment experience. @techradar

original sound - TechRadar 6. James Cameron almost ruined Metas Quest surprise (Image credit: Future)

James Cameron, the world-famous movie director, came on stage to hype up the Quests performance as a home entertainment machine and to announce that an exclusive 3D clip of Avatar: Fire and Ash is available right now in Meta Horizon TV for a limited time.

But what we cared far more about was how close he came to spoiling Metas next VR headset.

Annoyingly, he didnt let much slip at all, but his comments make us believe that while Connect 2025 was the year of smart glasses, Connect 2026 will be all-in on VR once more.

We just have 365 days until we find out. 7. Big VR updates are on the Horizon (Image credit: Future)

Meta didnt forget about VR entirely; alongside Horizon TV, it also updated
its Horizon Studio and debuted Meta Horizon Engine.

Horizon Engine has reportedly been built from scratch and optimized to help bring the metaverse to life by delivering better graphics and a faster performance. A bold promise for developers that could bring its metaverse plans close to reality.

As for Meta Horizon Studio, this hub for creators includes a range of AI
tools that will soon be leveraged by an AI agent, enabling it to stitch together a whole VR world based on just a few simple text prompts. This is
one well need to test out. You might also like I wore Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses they succeed in almost every way Google Glass failed and I can't
wait to wear them again Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 AI glasses have more flair,
battery life, and video power, and I think they look good on me Meta
announces new Oakley Vanguard smart glasses heres how theyre better than the HSTN glasses for athletes



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/meta-con nect-2025-7-things-we-learned-from-a-packed-keynote-with-plenty-of-smart-glass es


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