Meta unveils lighter VR glasses with IMAX certification

Meta is making another run at virtual reality. At its annual Connect event on Wednesday, the company unveiled Meta VR Glasses, a new entry in its VR lineup built around a substantially lighter form factor and a set of entertainment integrations, including — allegedly — IMAX compatibility.

Meta says the glasses are five times lighter than the Meta Quest 3 and resemble ordinary eyewear rather than the bulkier headsets the company has shipped before. Built from magnesium alloy, they run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Reality Elite processor and draw power from a separate computing puck that doubles as the battery — small enough, presumably, to slip into a pocket and let the glasses be used away from a desk.

The glasses are aimed primarily at entertainment. Micro-OLED panels built into the lenses deliver what Meta calls a 5K Infinite Display at 37 pixels per degree, with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support for downloaded and streamed movies. Meta is pitching the device as a way to watch IMAX-captured films, calling it the “first IMAX Enhanced certified VR device ever” and saying it will be one of the only ways to experience IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio. The glasses also support 3D content, including movies that incorporate a viewer’s physical surroundings into the experience.

Meta says it has partnered with Disney so that, starting in November, Disney+ subscribers will be able to stream select movies — including certain Marvel titles — in 3D through the glasses. Meta says viewers’ surroundings will be transformed into immersive environments with dynamic effects, 3D visuals, and spatial audio during those films, turning the movie into something closer to a VR game.

The glasses also ship with Meta AI, the company’s voice assistant, built in, letting users issue commands — like starting a movie — by voice or hand gesture without reaching for a separate device.

Meta says the VR Glasses will go on sale next spring, starting at $1299.99.

Why it matters

The lighter form factor, Disney-backed content deal, and IMAX-branded certification mark Meta’s latest attempt to turn VR headsets into a mainstream entertainment device rather than a niche gaming accessory.