Meta might be preparing a serious upgrade to its Ray-Ban smart glasses lineup. A newly leaked render has given us our first peek at what’s reportedly called “Hypernova” — a high-end pair of smart glasses with a built-in display, gesture-based controls, and a bold price tag that puts them on par with other premium wearables.
This next-gen model is expected to launch before the end of the year, possibly positioning itself as a more advanced, standalone option that complements — rather than replaces — Meta’s wildly successful Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
Neural wristband incoming?
The render, shared by leaker Arsène Lupin, shows what appears to be the Hypernova glasses alongside a wrist-worn controller (in very poor image quality, mind you).
According to earlier reports, this band is codenamed Ceres and is designed to support intuitive gesture controls. Think scrolling by rotating your wrist or selecting items with a finger pinch — an idea originally developed for Meta’s unreleased Orion AR headset.
The wristband would work in tandem with capacitive touch panels on the glasses' frames, possibly allowing users to ditch voice commands entirely in favor of subtle, touchless interactions.
Screen in your specs
A small screen in the lens could bring limited AR functions to Meta’s next smart glasses. | Image credit — Meta
Hypernova’s defining feature could be its tiny, built-in display, reportedly located in the lower-right section of the right lens. It’s said to display a home screen of circular app icons — like the camera, photo gallery, maps, and notifications from apps like WhatsApp and Messenger.
While the leaked render doesn’t clearly show the screen, multiple sources suggest it’ll support limited AR-style functionality. Combined with a camera upgrade and enhanced AI features, this would push Meta’s wearables beyond the passive capture use cases of current Ray-Ban models.
Which feature of Meta’s leaked Hypernova smart glasses sounds the most interesting to you?
Built-in screen for apps and notifications
50%
Gesture controls via the wristband
0%
AI-powered interactions
0%
Camera upgrades for photo/video capture
0%
I’m not excited — still waiting for a killer feature
50%
Price, release window, and future plans
Meta’s Hypernova is rumored to cost between $1,000 and $1,400, a clear jump from the Ray-Bans but still far below something like the Apple Vision Pro (although it might be close to the rumored Apple Vision Air). That price might reflect not just the added hardware, but also Meta’s growing ambitions in the smart glasses market — where it’s quickly becoming the brand to beat.
Meta is already said to be working on a second-generation model, Hypernova 2, with dual displays, though that version likely won’t arrive until at least 2027.
An aggressive move from Meta that Apple should take seriously
This leak comes just days after Apple sent out a survey to Vision Pro users asking about their experiences with devices like the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Amazon’s Echo Frames — a clear sign that Apple is taking this category seriously.
With its own smart glasses expected to debut in 2026 or 2027, it looks like Meta and Apple are headed for a showdown in the XR headset market.
Meta’s Hypernova just leaked, and Apple is surveying users about its rivals. What do you make of the timing?
Meta is forcing Apple to speed up its smart glasses plans
0%
Apple is doing smart research before making a move
20%
This space is heating up — competition is great for users
40%
Smart glasses still feel too early to get excited about
40%
I’m just curious who will make the better glasses in the e
0%
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Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he's not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.
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