Images Show Meta’s Upcoming Project Phoenix Headset
Meta appears to have unintentionally shown its upcoming mixed reality headset ahead of schedule after images of the device, known as Project Phoenix, surfaced in a HorizonOS application.
The images were originally published by UploadVR, which found the files in a Meta app called “HorizonOS Prescription Lens”. The application has since been removed and appears to have been intended for people who require prescription inserts for the device.
The app appears to have been released as a placeholder. UploadVR found that it contained image files showing the headset from different angles, providing a detailed view of its design.
The images appear to match information about the mixed reality device reported for more than a year. Phoenix uses a different form factor from other Quest-branded hardware from Meta and looks more like glasses-like devices such as Xreal’s Aura headset.
One image clearly shows a cable connected to the headset. This is consistent with previous rumours that Phoenix will rely on a tethered connection to a separate puck.
The newly surfaced images don’t show the headset from the front, leaving some design details unresolved. The front is likely to include some type of camera setup, similar to Xreal’s Aura, because the device has reportedly been designed around hand-tracking controls rather than a dedicated controller.
UploadVR has also noted that Meta is planning a session at Connect covering “a practical guide to controller-free interaction”. The planned session is consistent with previous reports about the headset’s reported approach to interaction.
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The timing of the images has also raised the possibility that Phoenix could appear at Meta’s annual Connect event, which begins on 23 September. Connect originally began as a dedicated virtual reality conference, but last year included less virtual and more mixed reality news as Meta’s display-enabled smart glasses became a major focus.
Meta is still expected to discuss its smart glasses at this year’s event. The timing of the HorizonOS updates that led to the images has also raised the possibility that the company plans to show Phoenix at Connect.
It remains unclear whether Meta will show the headset in operation. Previous reports suggest the device will not be ready until the first half of 2027, after its original timing was pushed back.
Even if the headset is not ready until next year, Meta could still use Connect to tease the device. The newly surfaced images provide a detailed view of its lightweight form factor, while the missing front view means some aspects of its design remain unknown.
