Meta is expanding its hardware strategy beyond smartphones and conventional smart glasses, putting its newly launched Muse personal AI agent at the center of several new devices. The announcements came during the company’s annual Connect event in Menlo Park, California, on September 23.
Meta Charm Brings Muse to a Pocket-Sized Device
The surprise hardware announcement was Meta Charm, a small handheld device designed to provide direct access to Muse without requiring a smartphone. Reuters reported that the gadget is roughly the size of an Apple AirPods case and includes a touchscreen measuring about 2 inches, a built-in 5G connection, and hardware for voice interaction.
Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Meta Charm at Connect 2026, a palm-sized keychain-style device designed for hands-free, always-on voice access to Meta’s Muse AI agent without a phone. Source: Reuters via X
Zuckerberg described the concept as a way to make Muse continuously available through a device that can be carried like a keychain.
“We pack the whole Muse experience, including the whole real-time voice and avatar stack, into something that fits on a keychain and is always available to talk to,” Zuckerberg said at Meta Connect.
The device is designed around voice interaction, while the small display can show Muse’s avatar. Reuters also reported that the hardware includes a fingerprint sensor, microphones, and reportedly a camera. The company has said more details about Charm will be shared later this year.
Meta has not disclosed a price for the Muse Charm. The company said it plans to ship the device during the December holiday period.
The timing places Charm within Meta’s broader effort to make Muse available across different computing environments. The company introduced Muse earlier in September as a personal AI agent capable of performing tasks rather than simply responding to questions. The company says Muse can use a dedicated secure virtual machine, interact with websites and services, and continue working on longer tasks after a user leaves the application.
Muse Expands Across Meta AI Glasses
Meta is also making Muse a more central part of its AI glasses strategy. The company said Muse will work across its glasses lineup, allowing users to interact with the agent through voice commands while keeping their phones in their pockets.
The company launched the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 smart glasses at Connect 2026, featuring six microphones that enable Dolby Atmos spatial audio recording for immersive, directional sound capture. Source: @wallstengine via X
The expansion adds task-oriented capabilities to the company’s existing glasses platform. The company said Muse can help users manage daily tasks and goals, while new integrations extend its ability to interact with retailers and services. The company listed partners, including Walmart, Best Buy, American Eagle Outfitters, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Fanatics, Gap, Michael Kors, Sephora, Ulta, and Wayfair. Shopify’s broader catalog is also being integrated, while Expedia and Instacart are among services coming to the platform.
Meta previously launched Muse on September 8 as a personal AI agent designed to perform tasks such as sending emails, booking travel, and handling online activities. The company said Muse can open a browser, fill out forms, and continue working on tasks that require additional time while requesting approval for sensitive actions such as purchases or sending emails.
The company is therefore positioning Muse as more than a chatbot. Its role is increasingly tied to Meta’s hardware ecosystem, with the AI agent serving as an interface across phones, computers, and wearable devices.
Meta VR Glasses Target Lightweight Spatial Computing
Meta also introduced Meta VR Glasses, a new virtual reality device built into a glasses-style form factor.
The device weighs about 100 grams, roughly comparable to a deck of cards, according to the company. Instead of placing all of the processing hardware and battery directly on the user’s face, the system uses a separate computing puck connected to the glasses. The company says the design enables a lighter form factor while supporting VR, spatial computing, gaming, and immersive entertainment.
Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Meta’s lightweight VR glasses at Connect 2026, showcasing the device on stage during the company’s annual developer event. Source: Pop Base via X
Meta is pricing the VR Glasses at $1,299, with a planned launch in spring 2027. The company is positioning the device as a more compact alternative to traditional VR headsets while retaining capabilities such as immersive movies, live sports, and a multi-screen virtual workspace.
The company said the device is the first IMAX Enhanced-certified VR device and will support 3D movies. The company also highlighted plans for immersive live sports experiences, including more than 100 U.S. sporting events annually through partnerships involving ESPN and TNT Sports.
The VR Glasses also extend beyond entertainment. The company said users can create a private multi-screen workspace and turn a flat surface into a keyboard and touchpad, making the device part of their broader spatial-computing strategy.
Camera-Free Ray-Ban Meta Audio
Another significant announcement was Ray-Ban Meta Audio, the company’s first audio-only smart glasses.
The glasses remove the camera found on existing Ray-Ban Meta models while retaining open-ear audio, microphones, and access to Meta AI. The company said the new glasses weigh 43 grams and can provide up to 12 hours of battery life on a charge, with the charging case providing additional capacity.
Ray-Ban Meta Audio starts at $349, with preorders beginning at Connect and shipments scheduled for October 13. The glasses will initially be offered in 23 color and lens combinations across the Clubmaster and Burbank styles.
The removal of the camera comes as smart glasses face increased scrutiny over recording and consent. Reuters has reported broader privacy concerns surrounding AI wearables, including worries about devices that can capture audio or video in public without the knowledge of people nearby.
Meta has said the camera-free design is not solely a response to privacy concerns. The company also points to audio as one of the most popular functions of its existing glasses, including music, podcasts, calls, and hands-free interaction with AI.
Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 Adds Longer Battery Life
Alongside the audio-only model, the company introduced Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3, the next generation of its camera-equipped AI glasses.
The new glasses start at $449 and offer up to nine hours of battery life, compared with eight hours for the previous generation. The company has also added a six-microphone array that it says can reduce background noise by more than 90%, improving voice calls and AI commands in noisy environments.
The Gen 3 models retain a 12-megapixel camera capable of recording 3K Ultra HD video. The company also highlighted dynamic photo capabilities and plans to support Dolby Atmos and 360-degree spatial sound for videos later this year.
The glasses will be available in three styles: Aviator, Zena, and Wayfarer. The company also plans a limited-edition Aviator marking the model’s 90th anniversary.
Meta’s Expanding AI Hardware Strategy
The announcements at Meta Connect 2026 show how the company is building a broader hardware ecosystem around personal AI.
The company now has multiple ways to access its AI services: smartphones and computers, camera-equipped smart glasses, audio-only glasses, a dedicated handheld device through Muse Charm, and a new VR platform. Meta said its AI glasses lineup will exceed 100 options across Ray-Ban, Oakley, and AI Glasses by the end of 2026.
Mark Zuckerberg outlined Meta’s privacy approach for Ray-Ban AI glasses and the Muse AI assistant, saying that “nobody, including Meta can have access to your data.” Source: Yahoo Finance via X
Muse provides the common software layer across much of that hardware strategy. Its integration into glasses means Meta AI can handle voice interactions and tasks without requiring users to reach for a phone, while Charm is designed to provide a dedicated physical interface for the same assistant.
At the same time, the company’s camera-free Ray-Ban Meta Audio addresses a different use case by focusing on audio and AI rather than visual capture. That gives the company a product option for consumers who want hands-free connectivity without a camera built into their glasses.
The company’s hardware expansion comes as technology companies continue developing alternatives to conventional smartphone interaction. Reuters reported that firms across Silicon Valley are exploring smart glasses, AI pins, and other wearable devices as they seek new ways for AI assistants to interact with users and their surroundings.
For Meta, Connect 2026 marked a significant expansion of that strategy. Charm puts Muse into a dedicated pocket-sized device, the VR Glasses move computing into a lightweight wearable form, and Ray-Ban Meta Audio removes the camera while preserving AI and audio functions. Together, the products broaden the range of hardware through which the company wants users to interact with its AI services.
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