Meta reportedly delays Phoenix mixed-reality glasses to 2027

Meta has postponed the launch of its Phoenix mixed-reality glasses to 2027, according to an internal memo cited by Business Insider.

The device was originally set for release in the second half of 2026.

Meta executives said the delay would allow more time to refine the product.

The Phoenix glasses, previously code-named Puffin, are expected to be lighter but have lower-resolution displays and less computing power than Apple’s Vision Pro, according to The Information.

Mixed-reality technology enables interaction between digital and real-world objects.

Meta’s metaverse unit, Reality Labs, may also face budget cuts of up to 30%. Reality Labs is behind Meta’s Quest headsets, Ray-Ban smart glasses, and upcoming AR glasses.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Reality Labs’ $17.7 billion 2024 loss puts a 30% cut in play

Reality Labs lost $17.7 billion in 2024, and Meta expects deeper losses in 2025 with $8.7 billion gone in the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2025 1. A 30% cut could trim about $6 billion a year and would force choices among Quest headsets, Ray-Ban smart glasses, and augmented reality (AR) work.
Phoenix, a mixed-reality glasses project, is now slated for 2027 1. Ray-Ban smart glasses lifted Reality Labs revenue 5% year over year in Q2 2025 1. Display-less smart glasses with no display will lead extended reality (XR) through 2029 and give buyers a lower-cost entry 2.
Meta posted $69.38 billion in operating income in 2024, yet investors want a path to profits after years of Reality Labs losses 3 1.

XR hardware makers have a near-term opening in smart glasses

Smart glasses shipments could jump 247.5% in 2025, pushing combined augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) plus smart glasses to 14.3 million units for a 39.2% rise 2.
Meta held 60.6% share in Q2 2025 across AR, VR, and smart glasses 2. Rivals include Xiaomi at 7.7% and XREAL, a consumer AR glasses maker, at 4.1% 2. Amazon could join with its rumored Jayhawk AR glasses project 4.
Distribution is widening to opticians, eye-care professionals who fit lenses, plus eyewear retailers and consumer electronics stores 2. Companies in optical components, prescription lens integration, and retail point-of-sale tech can win as smart glasses go mainstream 2.