Meta delayed the release of its mixed reality glasses Phoenix to 2027.
Meta postponed the launch of its mixed reality glasses Phoenix to the first half of 2027, moving the presentation from the previously planned second half of 2026. This decision was made in response to recommendations for improving the product quality and enhancing business resilience.
The Vice President of Reality Labs Foundation, Maher Saba, in an internal communication that came to the attention of Business Insider, noted that the postponement allows the team to focus on product improvement without compromising on quality and reliability. This decision was supported by executives of the Metaverse direction, Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns, who assured that the schedule changes would not allow for the addition of new features or additional workload.
The context for such a move was a recent meeting with CEO Mark Zuckerberg, where Reality Labs executives received instructions to spend more time improving the quality of their products. This decision can be seen as part of a broader effort by Meta to improve its reputation, which has suffered due to allegations of shareholder mismanagement and billion-dollar fines for violating user privacy.
Phoenix glasses, which resemble ski masks in shape, work in conjunction with a separate “pack” module that powers the device. Some company employees noted that the model looks externally similar to the Apple Vision Pro. Meta declined to comment on the situation.
| Event | Initial Deadline | New Deadline | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch of Phoenix glasses | Second half of 2026 | First half of 2027 | Improving quality and business resilience |
