Meta Ray-Ban Gen 3 Rumours: What's Changing
Two years after the current Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) landed, a third generation of Meta's screenless smart glasses is reportedly lined up for Meta Connect in September 2026. Here's what leaks and named sources are actually saying, separated from the guesswork.
What's confirmed
Meta Connect 2026 is scheduled for September 23-24 in Menlo Park.
Meta has confirmed the dates for its annual hardware and software event, and multiple outlets covering the smart glasses beat expect Gen 3 to be the headline hardware reveal, mirroring how Gen 2 and the Ray-Ban Display both launched at previous Connects.
Gen 3 stays screenless — Meta's display glasses are a separate product line.
The regular Ray-Ban line (Gen 1, Gen 2, and the rumoured Gen 3) has never included a lens display. That's reserved for the pricier Meta Ray-Ban Display ($799), which launched alongside the EMG Neural Band wristband. Don't confuse the two — Gen 3 is expected to remain audio, camera and AI only, just like Gen 2.
What's reported (analyst / supply-chain sourced)
Two Gen 3 frame codenames have leaked: "Aperol" and "Bellini."
Leaked renders reported by iDevice and Geeky Gadgets point to two distinct screenless frames — one aimed at wide release with a bigger battery, the other, Bellini, shaped for prescription-lens wearers who want something more discreet. Both are reportedly thicker than Gen 2 to fit larger batteries.
Live AI battery life could jump from ~30 minutes to "hours."
Gen 2's biggest practical limitation is that continuous Live AI use drains the battery in around half an hour. Reports circulating via Dymesty and other outlets tracking Meta Connect leaks describe Gen 3 targeting multiple hours of continuous Live AI, which would be one of the largest usability upgrades of any generation so far.
The camera is being pitched as an "iPhone 13-equivalent" jump.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, cited across several of the outlets tracking this leak cycle, reports Meta is targeting a camera quality leap roughly equivalent to going from an iPhone 11 to an iPhone 13 — a meaningfully bigger jump than Gen 1 to Gen 2 delivered.
"Super sensing" AI features are rumoured for real-time recognition.
Road to VR and Geeky Gadgets both describe rumoured contextual-awareness features that would let the glasses recognise objects, locations and people in view and surface information automatically, building on the existing Meta AI and Live AI feature set rather than replacing it.
Pricing is rumoured in the $400-500 USD range.
That would sit above Gen 2's current pricing and reportedly reflects the bigger battery and camera hardware. No NZD pricing or local availability has been reported yet — Gen 2 currently retails in New Zealand through select opticians and electronics retailers, so a similar path is likely for Gen 3.
Twisti's opinion
The battery claim is the one worth watching, not the camera.
Camera bumps are incremental every generation, but if Live AI genuinely stretches from 30 minutes to multiple hours, that changes what these glasses are actually useful for day-to-day, rather than as a novelty you charge every lunch break. We'd treat that spec as the real headline once (if) Meta confirms it on stage.
What we'll update
We'll revise this post as soon as Meta issues an official Connect agenda or press briefing naming Gen 3 specs, and again after the September 23-24 keynote itself with confirmed pricing and NZ availability.
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