Meta could release its first true AR headset as soon as 2027

Mark German c Bloomberg has released a report about Meta’s next steps in hardware, citing sources familiar with the company’s work. According to these insiders, Meta is developing at least three new models of smart glasses and has laid out a roadmap to the release of its first true augmented reality glasses. The company is reportedly continuing its efforts to implement AI tools in wrist wearables and headsets.

Meta already sells smart glasses in partnership with Ray-Ban, a product line internally called Supernova. Gourmand reports that this existing range will be rolled out to new markets, although it offered no details on where. Meta’s technologies are also applied to frames from other brands owned by its partner Luxottica Group. This is said to lead to the release of glasses codenamed Supernova 2, based on Oakley’s Sphaera glasses. This kit will be aimed at cyclists and other athletes, and its camera will be placed in the center of the frames.

The third model is internally named Hypernova. This product will be another step closer to a true AR experience, giving users the ability to launch simple software applications, view notifications and display photos taken by the device. The more advanced feature set will reportedly come with a more advanced price tag; sources told Gurman that this set is currently expected to cost $1,000. The insiders already had revealed last month when Meta was working on bringing a display to its Ray-Ban eyewear models.

Along with these smart glasses, Meta is also developing an AR product called . Gurman reports that the Orion kit will not receive a commercial release. Instead, he said Meta plans to release a different iteration of the hardware as early as 2027. That product is codenamed Artemis, and sources told Gurman that these prototype glasses are not as heavy as Orion and are more advanced than its predecessor.

Another note in Gurman’s report is that Meta is developing a wrist strap that can control its smart glasses. Most of the company’s models have temple controls, but a wrist option would be similar to the one used for the Orion prototype.

Finally, he confirms that Meta is still working on prototype camera headphones that could rival Apple’s AirPods. The information on this project in May 2024. and the concept appears to be facing some development challenges. If these “Camerabuds” do make it to market, it probably won’t be for years.

We’ve reached out to Meta for comment on this report and will update any statement we receive.