Meta delays the release of new mixed reality glasses codenamed “Phoenix”.
The company had planned to release the new device in the second half of 2026, but is pushing the timeline to the first half of 2027, Maher Saba, vice president of the Reality Labs Foundation, wrote in a memo to employees on Thursday, seen by Business Insider.
In a separate note also reviewed by Business Insider, metaverse leaders Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns said moving the release date back “will give us much more breathing room to iron out the details.”
They added: “There are many challenges due to tight implementation schedules and big changes to our core UX, and we will not compromise on delivering a fully polished and robust experience.”
Meta declined to comment.
Phoenix mixed reality glasses, previously reported Informationhave a form factor similar to glasses and are connected to a puck to power them, according to two employees who saw the device and spoke anonymously because they are not authorized to speak to the press.
Two employees said the model is similar to Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality glasses. They said there was some skepticism about the puck among executives, but they decided to keep it to make the glasses lighter and more comfortable, and to prevent them from overheating.
In the note, Saba said that in a recent meeting with CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Reality Labs (RL) executives received feedback on their plans for 2026, which he said are “focused on ensuring the sustainability of the business and taking additional time to deliver our experiences at a higher quality.”
“Based on this, many RL teams will have to adjust their plans and timelines,” he added. “Extending the deadline does not give us the opportunity to add more features or do additional work.”
Meta also plans to release a new “limited edition” of the wearable, codenamed “Malibu 2,” in 2026, according to Saba.
Meta is starting work on its next-generation Quest device, a product that Auhl and Cairns wrote will focus on immersive gaming and represent a “major upgrade” to the capabilities of existing devices, as well as “significantly improve device economics.”
October Meta reorganized the metaverse division and brought in Aul, who led product development for Meta Horizon, and Cairns, who was previously in charge of virtual reality hardware, to co-lead his efforts, Business Insider previously reported. Company now considering budget reduction up to 30% in the Reality Labs division, which may affect employees working on the Horizon Worlds virtual space platform.
The company also expanded its push into artificial intelligence hardware by acquiring Limitless, a startup that makes pendant devices powered by artificial intelligence, the company announced Friday.
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