A stage with the words Meta Connect 2025 with a person on it.

Meta Connect 2025 opened with CEO Mark Zuckerberg taking the stage to share how Meta is continuing to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence, wearable technology, and the metaverse. The keynote highlighted a new generation of smart glasses, featuring designs that make AI more useful in daily life and expand entertainment options for the metaverse. From stylish Ray-Ban designs to rugged Oakley performance glasses, the announcements offered an impressive array of wearable tech options to suit many different lifestyles. Let’s dive into each of the announcements and all the new, exciting Meta innovations shown off.

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New Oakley Meta Vanguard model announced

A man with a black background wears the new Oakley Meta Vanguard sunglasses.

Meta revealed the Oakley Meta Vanguard as the brand’s new performance-focused AI glasses. Built for athletes and outdoor adventurers, the Vanguard combines Oakley’s durable sport design with smart technology. They provide up to nine hours of mixed-use battery life, a wide 122-degree field of view, and the same 3K video capture found in the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2). A center-aligned camera sets them apart, offering a more natural, balanced perspective for action footage. Two new video modes, Hyperlapse and Slow Motion, make it easier than ever to create dynamic content hands-free. Meta even shared a few videos from Red Bull athletes attempting extreme stunts, and the resulting video captures looked incredible.

Oakley Meta Vanguard integrates GPS in creative ways

For fitness enthusiasts, Vanguard takes integration a step further with compatibility for Garmin and Strava. The Meta AI app can deliver real-time stats during workouts and even trigger “autocapture,” recording highlights automatically when milestones like a sprint or distance goal are achieved. It will automatically stitch together these video milestones at the end of your run, along with your exercise metrics, to make it easy to share. This makes the Vanguard especially appealing if you are looking to document your training and outdoor adventures. The Oakley Meta Vanguard will be available on October 21, 2025.

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) launches at Meta Connect 2025

The new sunglasses introduced at Meta Connect 2025

Another major announcement was the launch of Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2). These updated glasses look as sleek as their predecessors, with a few new style options. At the same time, they deliver significant improvements where it matters most. Battery life has been doubled to provide up to eight hours of mixed use, making them practical for a full day’s wear. Video capture has also been enhanced with 3K Ultra HD recording, offering sharper, more vibrant footage.

A wearer of the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) sunglasses talks to someone with the new feature and a outdoor background.

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) offers new conversation focus feature

The Gen 2s also retain the convenience of built-in AI for hands-free assistance, real-time translation, and open-ear audio, allowing you to stay engaged with your surroundings. A new feature called Conversation Focus will arrive later this year as a software update. This impressive feature allows the glasses to amplify the voice of the person you are speaking with. This update will roll out not only to Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2), but also to the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta HSTN glasses.

Meta Ray-Ban Display and Neural Band

The most groundbreaking reveal at Meta Connect 2025 was the Meta Ray-Ban Display. The company’s first pair of AI glasses features a high-resolution monocular display.

A sunglasses frame with a digital HUD on the right lens.

This allows wearers to view information, such as text notifications and navigation directions, directly in their field of vision. With a display resolution of 42 pixels per degree, it surpasses the clarity of most current VR headsets.

Neural Band offers deeper control

A man lays in the sun wearing the Meta Ray-Ban Display and Neural Band, moving his hand to select

Controlling the new glasses is made possible with the Meta Neural Band, which translates subtle hand movements into intuitive commands. During the keynote, Mark Zuckerberg gave a live demonstration that showed just how natural the technology feels. At one point, he mimicked the simple motion of twisting a volume knob in mid-air, and the Neural Band instantly recognized the gesture, raising the music playing through his glasses. With up to 18 hours of battery life, the Neural Band allows you to navigate menus, select options, and interact with your glasses without needing to touch them.

Sunglasses and a wristband float against a blue background.

Meta Ray-Ban Display with Neural Band doesn’t have a release date in Canada just yet, but be the first to know and stay up to date for more details on Meta products, dates and prices by signing up for Best Buy Canada emails.

Metaverse updates and Horizon enhancements

A figure stands on a stage with a large screen displaying the text, "Meta Horizon Engine"

Meta Connect 2025 also placed a spotlight on the software that underpins the company’s metaverse ambitions. The newly announced Horizon Engine and Horizon Studio will give creators better tools to build immersive content. Horizon Engine enhances graphics performance and world loading times, while Horizon Studio offers a streamlined hub for creators to develop and share their virtual experiences.

On the entertainment side, Meta unveiled Horizon TV, a new service for Quest headsets that brings popular content into virtual reality. To showcase the platform’s capabilities, James Cameron was on hand to demo an exclusive 3D clip from Avatar: Fire and Ash. Users will also get to experience already available for a limited time.

Key takeaways from Meta Connect 2025

The announcements at Meta Connect 2025 illustrate how AI glasses are quickly becoming the centrepiece of a tech-driven lifestyle. With extended battery life, sharper cameras, AI features like Conversation Focus, and the debut of gesture control through the Meta Neural Band, these devices are designed to fit seamlessly into everyday life. Whether you want stylish Ray-Ban frames for casual use, Oakley glasses for outdoor performance, or the cutting-edge display model for a glimpse of the future, Meta now offers a smart glasses option for every lifestyle.

Stay tuned to Best Buy Canada for the most up-to-date pricing, availability, and offers on Meta’s groundbreaking AI glasses.

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Matthew Rondina
Matthew has been involved in all things tech related since the start of the digital era. He shares his passion for technology in his day job as a teacher and via multiple media platforms. As a long-time veteran of the video game and tech industry, he's covered interactive entertainment and esports on the web, in video series, podcasts, and on international television. You can follow Matthew's tech-venture filled lifestyle on twitter, instagram @dapper_tux.

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