News in Short

• Meta rumoured Phoenix VR headset has reportedly appeared in leaked Horizon OS firmware visuals.
• The headset appears much slimmer than traditional VR headsets.
• Leaked visuals show a glasses-like frame with separate nose pads.
• Removable prescription lens inserts are also shown.
• Sensors appear around the sides and underside of the headset arms.

Meta could be preparing a very different kind of VR headset. Leaked visuals reportedly found inside the company’s Horizon OS firmware have now offered a first look at the mysterious Phoenix headset.

The images point to a much slimmer design than the bulky headsets users typically associate with virtual reality. They also reveal removable prescription lens inserts and offer clues about how Meta could handle the headset’s initial setup.

The visuals were reportedly discovered by Luna and reported by UploadVR. They appeared inside the Horizon OS Prescription Lens package, which was released in August. The package initially contained very little visual information, but a September update appears to have added the new material.

Meta Phoenix looks more like glasses

The biggest takeaway from the leak is the design.

Phoenix appears to use a slim frame with separate nose pads instead of the large face interface found on conventional VR headsets. Sensors can also be seen around the sides and underneath the arms.

That design could make the headset considerably less bulky than Meta’s existing VR products. However, the leaked visuals do not reveal its final dimensions or weight.

The headset has reportedly been in development under other codenames, including Stanley and Loma. Previous reports have described it as a premium mixed-reality device focused on a lighter form factor.

Prescription lenses could be removable

The leaked animation also provides a glimpse at how prescription lens support could work.

The visuals show separate lens inserts being placed in front of the headset’s own lenses. This suggests users who need prescription glasses may be able to attach dedicated inserts rather than wearing conventional glasses underneath the headset.

It is worth noting that the leak does not confirm which prescription options Meta will eventually offer or how the final attachment system will work.

Phoenix could use an external computing puck

There is another interesting detail in the leaked visuals. A cable appears to come out from the end of the left temple.

This lines up with earlier reports claiming that Phoenix could rely on an external computing puck connected to the headset by a cable. Moving some of the computing hardware outside the headset could help Meta achieve the slimmer design shown in the leak.

The approach would be quite different from traditional standalone VR headsets, where the processing hardware and battery are built into the headset itself.

It may still use cameras for mixed reality

Despite its glasses-like appearance, Phoenix is not expected to be a transparent smart-glasses product.

Reports suggest the headset could use cameras to capture the surrounding environment and then display that view digitally. Users would therefore see a camera feed of the real world rather than looking directly through transparent lenses.

This would make Phoenix closer to a lightweight mixed-reality headset than conventional transparent AR glasses.

QR code hints at the setup process

One of the leaked visuals also shows a person holding a QR-code card in front of the headset.

This could indicate that Meta is exploring a QR-based setup or pairing process. However, the exact purpose of the QR code is not confirmed by the leak.

The reported focus on eye and hand tracking could also make the headset less dependent on traditional controllers. Meta’s upcoming Connect 2026 event includes a session titled “A practical guide to controller-free interaction,” although there is no confirmation that the session is related to Phoenix.

Meta Phoenix launch date and price remain unknown

The latest leak does not reveal the headset’s final retail name, price or launch date. It also does not confirm several of the specifications previously associated with Phoenix.

For now, the leaked firmware material provides a useful glimpse at what Meta could be building, particularly its slim form factor and prescription lens system.

But Phoenix remains an unannounced product. Until Meta officially reveals the headset, its design, features and specifications should be treated as leaked information rather than confirmed product details.