Everyone in the XR space is always curious about what will be announced and launched at the yearly Meta Connect 2025 event. With this year’s event set for the 17th and 18th of September, the pressure is on Meta to make some truly exciting announcements. They have consistently worked to make immersive technologies more affordable for the average consumer while also pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. So naturally, we here at Mersus will be watching with keen interest to see what Connect 2025 brings.
Beyond the Prototype: Will Hypernova Deliver?
Last year, a major announcement centred on the experimental Orion XR glasses. This year, the rumour mill is buzzing about a new consumer smart glasses and wristband combo, called Hypernova. The concept is similar to Orion – glasses that display information on a HUD in the right lens, paired with a wristband for gesture control. However, with a rumoured $800 price tag, they are not cheap. For Hypernova to justify that cost and achieve anything close to mass adoption, it will need to fill a very specific and compelling need that current devices can’t!
Wristwatch Rumours: A Second Chance for Meta’s Wearable?
While a definite long shot, some are predicting a resurrection of Meta’s smartwatch. The project, famously abandoned in 2022 due to technical hurdles like advanced gesture control, may have found new life through a reported partnership with a Chinese hardware manufacturer. The central question remains: what could a Meta smartwatch offer that the established market leaders cannot? If it reappears at Connect, its potential to integrate as a core component of Meta’s AR and AI ecosystem, rather than just another standalone device, will be the key to its appeal. It will be fascinating to see if this once-scrapped project can finally deliver a compelling reason to exist.
The Keynote Question: What’s the Big Vision?
It will be especially interesting to hear the focus of Mark Zuckerberg’s keynote. In previous years, he has focused on the long-term potential of the metaverse, stating his belief that immersive technology is the future of not just social media, but computing itself. Yet, despite steady technological progress, the grand promises of a seamless metaverse or ubiquitous spatial computing still feel distant. We’re curious to see if Zuckerberg’s address will double down on this vision or pivot to a new, more immediate narrative for 2025.
The AI and Avatar Advantage
It’s no secret that Meta wants to position itself as a leader in AI. We have no doubt their latest advancements in AI integration for VR and AR will be a major feature. Meta has famously drawn some scorn for the quality of their VR avatars in the past. Perhaps they have finally cracked the code, leveraging AI to create avatars that more closely resemble their human counterparts, complete with realistic hair and leg movement. While these technologies have been demoed with varying success before, if Meta reveals truly polished, consumer-ready avatars, it will certainly make people take notice.
AI has massive potential in many areas of VR and other immersive technologies, and we expect that Meta will reveal some of its successes in that area.
Meta Connect 2025
We can only speculate on what Meta will show us on the 17th and 18th of this month. But as the industry giants they are, whatever they reveal is sure to have a significant impact, and we’ll be watching.