First images of Meta's Project Phoenix mixed reality headset surface in Horizon OS

The images were reported by UploadVR and relayed by Engadget. According to those reports, they were hidden in the latest version of Horizon OS and appear in the software's support section, where they illustrate how prescription lenses can be fitted inside the Project Phoenix headset.

What the pictures show is a device whose size and shape sit much closer to a pair of eyeglasses than to something like the Meta Quest 3S, narrowing the visual gap between headsets and smart glasses. The device still carries cameras on its front to see the world around the wearer rather than relying on transparent lenses, so by function it remains a headset.

The support material also shows how a user inserts prescription lenses and scans a QR code, which appears to be part of configuring the lenses so the wearer can see the outside world correctly.

A cable can be seen running down from the headset, backing earlier rumors that a separate component holds the battery and possibly some of the processing power. That arrangement is what allows the headset itself to stay thin and light, and it follows a pattern used by other hardware in this category, including Apple's Vision Pro. A battery in particular occupies considerable space and adds weight, making an external location practical, though the images do not show how that component would be carried on the body.

Beyond the lens-fitting instructions, the images disclose little else about Project Phoenix. People familiar with the plans have previously predicted a 2027 launch, and attention now turns to Meta Connect, which begins on Wednesday, September 23, where Meta is expected to announce updates on a number of its products.