Just a couple of weeks before Meta Connect starts on September 23rd, UploadVR posted images seemingly revealing the design for Meta’s “Project Phoenix” headset. The images, which UploadVR says were ‘found in the HorizonOS Prescription Lens firmware package,’ suggest Meta may be looking to compete with devices like those from Xreal or Viture. These companies’ mixed reality glasses are a bit bulkier than something like Meta’s Ray-Ban AI smart glasses, but a step down from a full VR headset like Meta’s Quest 3.

Project Phoenix doesn’t quite look like smart glasses, but it’s much smaller than Meta’s other headsets. This leak shows something that’s almost in between larger headsets and smart glasses, with lenses set into a slim, glasses-style frame. A shot from behind shows a wire extending from one of the earpieces, possibly for a battery or compute puck. There also appear to be outward- and downward-facing cameras in the earpieces.

Project Phoenix has been in the works for a while now, and isn’t expected to launch until next year. Google is also working on a pair of Project Aura XR glasses in a similar vein, with an external compute puck that’s wired to the frames.

The leak hints at a potential evolution in how we interact with technology, moving towards more seamless integration into our daily lives. But will the trade-off of convenience be worth the wires and compute pucks?