Meta is continuing to expand into the AR space after its successful Ray-Ban Meta glasses, as a new report states the company is looking into "real" AR glasses — codenamed "Artemis."
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman shared new details about Meta's upcoming plans, which includes a new augmented reality product that's set to debut in 2027. Artemis is slated to be an advanced version of the Orion AR glasses revealed last year, and they won't be as heavy.
The Orion prototypes shown off are a step towards true AR that would aim to replace smartphones, as it offers an AR interface that can be seen trhough the glasses, along with a small puck and wristband to control what's on display. However, as Gurman notes, while the Orion smart glasses may be offered to software developers in 2026, they will "never be released to customers."
That's where the Artemis AR glasses come in. These are set to consumer-ready AR glasses that are lighter and come with upgraded capabilities compared to Orion. It's still early days, seeing as the glasses are tipped to arrive in 2027, but Meta reportedly still needs to work out costs, displays and manufacturing.
While details on Artemis are scarce, Meta appears to be working more AR devices that will arrive much sooner
Meta's upgraded AR glasses
Meta has more plans down the pipeline. Along with introduing Ray-Ban Meta to new markets and offering new AR glasses in the form of Oakley's, which is aimed at cyclists and is based on the brand's Sphaera glasses, Meta is looking to launch higher-end AR glasses this year — based on the design of Ray-Ban Metas.
Codenamed "Hypernova," these glasses are expected to boast a display at the bottom-right lens that shows information to the user. This would include simple apps, notifications and photos taken on the device's camera. This is certainly similar to what Meta currently offers with the Ray-Ban Metas, but with the added bonus of an AR display.
What's more, Hypernova is tipped to come along with a wrist strap — codenamed "Ceres" — that will let users control the glasses. There are talks that this accessory would be shipped with the Hypernova AR glasses, but since the device is said to come with "touch controls on the frame's temple," this has yet to be decided. Plus, they may be pricey, with insiders stating they could cost around $1,000.
As for other devices rumored to arrive, Meta is looking into developing a smartwatch this year that can display photos taken by Meta smart glasses and earbuds with built-in cameras that would rival AirPods. The latter is in the prototype stage, with the cameras being able to see the immediate world and utilize AI. However, these aren't expected to arrive for a couple of years.
True AR is set to take off
With the success of its Meta Quest headsets and its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses being a favorite among many, Meta is already in a good spot in the AR space. Now, with further development of what AR glasses can do in a more wearable design, AR is shaping up to be a hot product in the coming years.
During our Meta Orion AR glasses hands-on, we were impressed by what was on offer, with our own Philip Michaels stating that these are AR glasses that he would actually want to wear — despite only being protoypes.
We've already seen next-gen AR glasses in action, with the Xreal One Pro AR glasses offering Micro-OLED displays and an Xreal Eye Camera that impress, along with a 171-inch virtual screen with 1080p resolution. We found even more promising smart glasses at CES 2025.
What Meta has up its sleeves for the coming years is still up in the air, but if it's along the lines of what we've already seen, then AR is truly set to take off. Of course, it would also have to compete with Android XR and the upcoming Samsung Project Moohan XR headset.
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