Meta Connect One Week Away: Ray-Ban Gen 3 'Aperol' and 'Bellini' Smart Glasses Expected September 23

Meta Connect 2026 is one week away, opening September 23–24 in Menlo Park. The headline product is expected to be the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 — and leaks point to two distinct models.

Two Models: Aperol and Bellini

• Aperol: A sunglasses-style design with thicker frames housing larger batteries for 6–8 hours of use
• Bellini: A lighter optical frame designed for prescription wearers, prioritizing all-day comfort over battery size

Both reportedly run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1+ chip, an upgrade from the current AR1 Gen 1. Camera quality is said to jump from iPhone 11–level to iPhone 13–level, and Live AI sessions could extend from the current 30-minute limit to hours of continuous use.

What Else to Expect

Beyond Gen 3 glasses, leaks suggest Meta may preview the Malibu 2 smartwatch with EMG gesture control and the Hypernova display glasses prototype. A Meta Quest announcement is also possible, though the Quest 4 is not expected until 2027.

Should You Wait or Buy Gen 2 Now?

The Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2 at $379 on Amazon is still excellent, and Gen 3 will likely cost the same or slightly more. If you want smart glasses today, Gen 2 is a safe buy — or wait one week for confirmed Gen 3 pricing and availability. Read our full Gen 3 preview or browse all smart glasses.