Meta Connect Three Days Away: Malibu 2 Smartwatch With EMG Gesture Control Expected Alongside Ray-Ban Gen 3

Meta Connect 2026 is now three days away, and the event is shaping up as Meta's biggest wearables showcase yet. The keynote starts September 23 at 4PM PT in Menlo Park, with a second day of developer sessions on September 24.

Ray-Ban Gen 3: Two New Models

The worst-kept secret in smart glasses: Meta will announce Ray-Ban Gen 3 with two models — "Aperol" (a sunglasses design with thicker frames and a larger battery) and "Bellini" (a lighter optical frame for prescription wearers). Both reportedly run a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1+ chip, an upgrade that enables Live AI sessions lasting hours instead of the current 30-minute cap.

Malibu 2: Meta's First Smartwatch

The bigger surprise is Malibu 2, Meta's first smartwatch. Reports from The Information and TechTimes detail a wrist device with:

• Surface EMG (electromyography): The same muscle-signal sensing found in the $799 Meta Neural Band, now built into a watch band — enabling gesture control for Ray-Ban glasses without lifting your arm
• Health tracking: Continuous heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep analysis
• Meta AI assistant: Built in with no mandatory subscription
• WhatsApp integration: On-wrist messaging and calls

Why It Matters

If Malibu 2 ships with EMG, it becomes the first mainstream smartwatch to double as a gesture controller for smart glasses — a fundamentally different value proposition than Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch. The watch is positioned as a companion to Ray-Ban glasses, not a standalone competitor.

What Else to Expect

Additional expected announcements include Quest 4 details, Orion developer access expansion, and updates to Meta's AI platform. For our full preview, read the Meta Connect 2026 wearable guide.