Leaked Images Reveal Meta's Slim 'Project Phoenix' Headset
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
New design leaks suggest Meta is targeting a middle ground between bulky VR headsets and lightweight smart glasses.
Leaked images have surfaced revealing the design of Meta's "Project Phoenix," a device that appears to bridge the gap between full VR headsets and smart glasses, as The Verge first reported. According to the report, the images were discovered by UploadVR within a HorizonOS Prescription Lens firmware package.
The Project Phoenix hardware features lenses set into a slim, glasses-style frame, making it significantly smaller than Meta's existing headsets, such as the Quest 3. The Verge notes that the design likely positions Meta to compete with mixed reality glasses from companies like Viture and Xreal.
Key hardware details from the leak include outward- and downward-facing cameras located in the earpieces. Additionally, a wire extending from one of the earpieces suggests the device may utilize an external compute puck or battery for power and processing. This design approach mirrors Google's work on its Project Aura XR glasses, which also utilize a wired external compute puck.
While the leak arrives just ahead of the September 23rd Meta Connect event, The Verge reports that Project Phoenix is not expected to launch until next year.