Meta Is Trying VR Glasses Again, This Time With More IMAX
Meta’s new VR Glasses bring virtual reality into a 100-gram form factor with IMAX Enhanced certification, 5K displays, and a tethered compute puck.
At Meta Connect 2026 on Wednesday, Meta unveiled its newest entry into the VR market: Meta VR Glasses. These aren’t traditional headsets. They’re glasses-style devices that weigh about 100 grams, roughly the same as a deck of cards, and they’re set to launch in spring 2027 starting at $1,299.99.
The announcement marks Meta’s latest attempt to make virtual reality something people actually want to wear. And this time, the company is betting big on entertainment, especially IMAX.
A Different Kind of VR Device
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged during the keynote that the company had previously shifted focus away from the Metaverse and slowed VR device development until it achieved real breakthroughs.
“This is a breakthrough,” Zuckerberg said. “A lot of people agree that augmented reality glasses with holograms are clearly going to be part of the future, but we’ve also heard that a lot of people are less interested in wearing a headset. So we have built a new kind of VR device that delivers the same magical feeling of presence and immersion with high-resolution displays and views of the world around you in a form factor that is a pair of glasses for the first time”.
The Meta VR Glasses are five times lighter than the Meta Quest 3, primarily due to a two-part system. The glasses themselves handle sensors and display, while a tethered puck handles compute, battery, and storage. That puck can be clipped to a pocket or bag, keeping weight off your face.
The IMAX Factor
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Meta VR Glasses is their entertainment focus. Meta calls them the first IMAX Enhanced certified VR device ever, and says they will be one of the only ways to experience select films in IMAX’s exclusive expanded aspect ratio at home.
The glasses feature a 5K Infinite Display built on micro-OLED panels with 37 pixels per degree, along with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos spatial audio support. Users will be able to download and watch movies, with 3D content that integrates a user’s physical space into the viewing experience.
Meta has teamed up with Disney, and starting in November, Disney+ subscribers can stream select movies in 3D, including Marvel’s The Avengers and Black Panther. There will also be immersive themed viewing environments like Tatooine, Avengers Tower, and Scare Floor.
Additionally, users will be able to watch VR Enhanced versions of iconic films like Avengers: Infinity War and Star Wars: A New Hope through a new Disney Immersive Cinema by ILM app. Meta says your surroundings will be transformed with immersive environments, dynamic effects, 3D visuals, and spatial audio.
Meta is also partnering with director James Cameron and Lightstorm Vision to debut “first time in 3D” blockbusters in 2027.
Live Sports and Streaming
Beyond movies, Meta is pushing into immersive live sports. The glasses will provide access to more than 100 immersive live US sporting events each year through partnerships with MLB, NBC Sports, TNT Sports, and UFC. The Immersive Sports experience will offer 180-degree views and 8K streaming, starting with college football this year.
On the streaming side, Meta is working with Prime Video, YouTube, DIRECTV, AMC+, Crunchyroll, Plex, ESPN, and Tubi. Peacock, HBO Max, and Paramount+ are also offering their 3D media catalogs for the first time.
Specs and Hardware
Under the hood, the Meta VR Glasses are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Reality Elite processor. The puck battery delivers up to three hours of continuous high-resolution media playback and supports 45W fast charging.
The frames are made of magnesium alloy, and the device features ultra-compact pancake lenses designed specifically for this form factor. The glasses also have open sides and passthrough cameras, so you remain aware of what’s happening nearby.
Meta AI is integrated directly into the operating system. Users can talk to the glasses or use eye and hand gestures to play a movie, open an app, adjust their workspace, or search for something. No controllers needed.
Beyond Entertainment: A Workspace Too
Meta is also pitching the VR Glasses as a next-generation computing platform. Users can create a multi-screen private workspace, turning any flat surface into a keyboard and touchpad. The glasses can connect to a Mac or Windows laptop for use as a virtual external display.
Hologram Calls
Like Apple’s Vision Pro personas, the Meta VR Glasses will support holographic avatars for video calls. Meta says the hologram feature creates a photorealistic digital representation of you, capturing your expressions and reactions in real time. This will work with calling services including WhatsApp and Zoom.
The Bottom Line
Meta’s new VR Glasses represent a significant shift in strategy. Instead of bulky headsets, the company is betting on a glasses-like form factor that prioritizes comfort and entertainment. The IMAX Enhanced certification and Disney partnerships signal that Meta sees premium content as the key to making VR appealing to a broader audience.
At $1,299.99, the Meta VR Glasses sit between Meta’s existing Quest headsets and Apple’s much more expensive Vision Pro, which costs around $3,699. Meta’s device weighs roughly one-sixth as much.
Whether this latest attempt at VR glasses will succeed where previous efforts fell short remains to be seen. But Meta is clearly positioning the VR Glasses not just as a gaming device, but as a personal cinema, a courtside seat, and a workspace, all in something that looks like a pair of glasses.
The Meta VR Glasses will be available in spring 2027 for $1,299.99
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