Images and video assets detailing Meta’s upcoming mixed reality headset, codenamed Project Phoenix, have been discovered ahead of the company’s annual developer conference, according to reports from UploadVR. The design assets were initially found inside an application called HorizonOS Prescription Lens released via the Horizon Store, which was distributed as a ZIP file containing assets that required only a standard file manager to inspect, as detailed by UploadVR.
Firmware Leak Reveals Meta’s Project Phoenix Headset Design
The leak arrives shortly before Meta Connect, which is scheduled to take place at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters, as reported by Road to VR. Earlier internal codenames for the project included Stanley, Loma, and Puffin, according to UploadVR and Crypto Briefing.
Form Factor and Hardware Specifications
The leaked visuals indicate that Project Phoenix departs from traditional bulky virtual reality headsets by adopting a slim, glasses-style frame equipped with nose pads rather than a traditional face interface, as reported by UploadVR. The device is reported to weigh under 110 grams when worn on the face, positioning it between lightweight smart glasses such as Meta’s Ray-Ban AI glasses and heavier standalone devices like the Quest 3, which weighs approximately 515 grams, according to Crypto Briefing.
The hardware features outward- and downward-facing sensors located on the sides and undersides of the temples, alongside independent lens spacing and removable nose clips, according to The Verge and Road to VR. Visuals from the package also show a cable extending from the left temple, which tethers the glasses to a separate, phone-sized external compute puck equipped with a waistband clip and cooling exhaust, as noted by The Verge, Gizmodo, and Road to VR.
Prescription Lenses and Tracking Capabilities
The updated HorizonOS package demonstrates how prescription lens inserts attach and detach from the frame, and illustrates the process for scanning an accompanying QR code, according to UploadVR and Gizmodo. The prescription lenses are set to be released in partnership with Zenni Optical, as reported by Road to VR.
The device is designed with built-in hand and eye-tracking, utilizing front-facing sensors and sensors embedded near the user’s eyes, alongside downward-facing cameras that may support facial tracking, according to Road to VR. Meta’s agenda for the upcoming Connect event includes a session titled A practical guide to controller-free interaction,
which aligns with the expected controller-free functionality of Project Phoenix, as noted by UploadVR and BigGo Finance.
Market Positioning and Timeline
Project Phoenix is positioned as a premium, open-periphery mixed-reality passthrough device that allows users to view the physical environment while digital content overlays their field of view, according to Crypto Briefing and BigGo Finance. The device places Meta in competition with similar mixed-reality glasses offered by manufacturers such as Xreal, Viture, and Google—the latter of which is developing Project Aura XR glasses featuring a comparable tethered design, as reported by The Verge and BigGo Finance.
While official pricing and complete specifications have not been disclosed by Meta, the launch timeline for Project Phoenix has been pushed back to the first half of 2027, according to Crypto Briefing and BigGo Finance.
| Device | Form Factor | Display Type | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quest 3 | Full VR headset | VR passthrough | Standalone |
| Ray-Ban AI Glasses | Lightweight glasses | None (audio + camera) | Smartphone-paired |
| Project Phoenix | Slim glasses-style | XR passthrough | Tethered to puck |
