Meta Connect 2026 — Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3, camera-free glasses and all the latest news

Meta Connect 2026: time, date, and how to watch

The Meta Connect keynote is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET / 12 a.m. BST), and will be livestreamed via Meta.com. Of course, you can also follow along right here at Tom's Guide, where we'll provide instant analysis with our two intrepid reporters on the ground at Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, California.

What we expect to see

Heading into Meta Connect, the rumors point to six possible products being launched, only some of which are hardware:

Audio-only smart glasses: no cameras here

Ray-Ban Meta gen 3: an update to Meta's most popular specs

Project Phoenix: A new set of mixed-reality glasses

Muse AI: more updates to Meta's artificial assistant

Hologram avatars: these were teased two years ago, and we might finally see them.

Live: Latest updates

2026-09-23T09:51:46.198Z

Project Phoenix

Leaked Meta Phoenix headset — (Image credit: Luna Yian)

Perhaps the most ambitious announcement today could be that for Project Phoenix, Meta's rumored mixed-reality glasses. This device, which might look something like the Viture Beast or something from XReal, would have two small displays that would project an immersive view — though not quite as immersive as the Meta Quest 3 — was rumored to launch in 2027, but it looks like that timeline might have been pushed up.

2026-09-23T09:33:45.655Z

More on Muse AI

While Muse AI, Meta's new personal AI assistant, isn't exactly new, we expect that the company will reveal more about what it can do, especially in conjunction with Meta's smart glasses.

Our AI editor, Amanda Caswell, took Muse AI for a spin when it launched in early September; unlike other chatbots, it can "open websites, fill out forms and negotiate on your behalf. It can book travel, send emails and make purchases."

That last bit can be a bit unnerving, especially to those who have their doubts about Meta in general. However, Muse connects to Stripe's Link payment system, so you're not handing over your credit card information to Muse itself.

2026-09-23T09:19:14.946Z

Camera-free smart glasses

A front view of Meta Ray-Ban (gen 2) smart glasses — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Perhaps the biggest announcement we expect out of Meta Connect are a pair of camera-free smart glasses. According to the rumors, the audio-only "Luna" smart glasses won't be able to record photos or take photos.

Given that Meta has taken a lot of fire for not doing more to prevent perverts from recording people without their consent, this model could prove popular for those who want smart glasses, but don't want to be considered creepy.

2026-09-23T09:15:08.227Z

Welcome!

Mark Zuckerberg — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Welcome to our 2026 Meta Connect live blog. We'll be following all the build-up to Meta's annual event, covering what we expect to see, all the details on timings and how to watch Mark Zuckerberg's keynote.

It's going to be a big day for fans of smart glasses, and there's sure to be some interesting takeaways — especially when it comes to privacy. Stay tuned!