Meta is reportedly delaying the release of its new AR glasses, which were originally scheduled for late 2026. Codenamed “Phoenix,” the device reportedly has a goggle-like form factor and is connected to a puck to help power it. Most details remain under wraps because employees who know about the project are not yet allowed to talk about it.
Meta postpones AR Glasses to 2027
Meta is reportedly releasing a brand-new mixed reality glasses, codenamed “Phoenix.” The company had initially planned to release the new device in the latter part of 2026. Maher Saba, VP of Reality Labs Foundation, sent a memo to employees pushing the date back to 2027.
This comes as Google also prepares its Android XR glasses, which are based on the Android XR system. A prototype of the Google Android XR glasses was unveiled in May and has received a good critical response. While the Android XR glasses do not yet have a release date, they are also expected to debut soon.
In a separate memo, metaverse leaders Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns said that moving the release date back would give them some breathing room. It would also reportedly allow them to get the details right. “There’s a lot coming in hot with tight bring-up schedules and big changes to our core UX, and we won’t compromise on landing a fully polished and reliable experience,” they added in the memo.
The “Phoenix” glasses were originally confirmed by The Information. They claimed that the glasses had a goggle-like form factor and were connected to a puck to help power them. Employees working on the project were unsurprisingly not allowed to talk about it.
Saba said in the memo that in a recent meeting with CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the Reality Labs (RL) leaders received feedback on the device. He said that their plans “focused on making the business sustainable and taking extra time to deliver our experiences with higher quality.” He further added, “Based on that, many teams in RL will need to adjust their plans and timelines…Extending timelines is not an opportunity for us to add more features or take on additional work.”
Meta also plans to release a limited-edition wearable device code-named “Malibu 2” in 2026. More details about the Meta mixed reality glasses are expected to arrive soon.
Originally reported by Sourav Chakraborty on Mandatory.
