The transition from old cartoonish avatars to hyper-realistic holograms redefines the concepts of virtual presence and remote human communication.
Article index:
- Project Phoenix leaks and the anticipated Connect conference
- Hardware specifications and the ultra-light headset design
- The evolution of Codec Avatars from research to application
- Horizon OS and evidence of holographic communication
- Intense competition with the Apple Vision Pro headset
- Wall Street bets and the new Muse smart model
- Frequently asked questions
Project Phoenix leaks and the anticipated Connect conference
This week, the technology and augmented reality sector is turning its gaze toward Menlo Park, California, where Meta is holding its annual developer conference, Connect, on September 23 and 24, amid widespread expectations of unveiling the next generation of mixed reality devices under the codename “Project Phoenix”. According to reports from The Information platform, the event will feature a live demonstration of a volumetric holographic video call experience, relying on an advanced and hyper-realistic version of Codec Avatars technology.
The live presentation is expected to be led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth, who will demonstrate the ability of modern neural algorithms to generate realistic digital twins of users that convey precise facial expressions, eye movements, and gestures in real time.
Hardware specifications and the ultra-light headset design
Despite the secrecy maintained by Meta regarding its hardware plans, the engineering design features of the Phoenix headset leaked beforehand through the company’s own software. Developers inside the Horizon OS prescription lens app found detailed blueprints revealing a slim headset resembling traditional glasses equipped with nose pads and advanced side sensors, as reported by the UploadVR platform.
Leaked data indicates that the weight of the device resting on the user’s face is less than 110 grams, thanks to moving the central processors and heavy batteries to an external computing unit connected via a thin wire that is secured in a pocket. Meta describes this headset as a premium open-rim mixed reality device that allows users to see the real world directly while integrating high-precision digital elements into their field of view.
The evolution of Codec Avatars from research to application
This demonstration represents a strategic and historical turning point in Meta’s journey, as the company has been developing Codec Avatars research since 2015 within its Reality Labs to build digital replicas that precisely match users, overcoming previous frustrations associated with the simple cartoon avatars launched during the early promotion of the metaverse.
The new technology relies on training artificial intelligence models on hundreds of 3D snapshots of a user’s face to decode the movement signals from sensors and instantly translate them into live interactions that provide a genuine sense of shared presence among communicating parties across long distances.
Horizon OS and evidence of holographic communication
Recent software updates in August 2026 reinforced expectations regarding the imminent arrival of the feature, as specialists spotted lines of code inside the Meta AI and Horizon OS apps explicitly referencing frameworks called “holographic communication” and linking them directly to Codec Avatars libraries.
Despite this evidence, it remains unclear whether the Connect conference will witness an immediate commercial launch of the technology or merely an advanced technical demonstration of lab research, especially in light of internal memos pointing to a delay of the commercial consumer rollout of the Phoenix headset to the first half of 2027, after it had been targeted for late 2026.
Intense competition with the Apple Vision Pro headset
In the event these innovations are transformed into consumer-ready products, Meta will enter a direct and fierce competitive confrontation with Apple and its flagship Persona feature used in the Vision Pro headset. However, Meta is betting on a decisive advantage in comfort via an ultra-light weight of roughly one-sixth the weight of Apple’s headset, in addition to offering a natural field of view that does not rely entirely on opaque display screens and relay cameras.
Industry observers believe that Meta’s success in delivering a convincing holographic experience at a lightweight will rearrange spatial computing market priorities and force competitors to abandon bulky designs in favor of compact glasses.
Wall Street bets and the new Muse smart model
Financial markets on Wall Street are monitoring the conference events with keen interest, as Citi added Meta to its 90-day positive catalyst watch list while maintaining a buy recommendation and setting a price target of $800 for the company’s stock.
Financial analyst Ronald Josey noted that investors are also awaiting Meta’s announcement of its next-generation smart language models under the name “Muse”, alongside the unveiling of its future marketing plan for Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which reinforces the company’s leadership position at the intersection of augmented reality hardware and artificial intelligence software.
Frequently asked questions
Question: What is the expected weight of Meta’s new Project Phoenix headset?
Answer: The headset weighs less than 110 grams on the face thanks to separating the battery and processors into a portable external computing unit.
Question: How does Codec Avatars technology differ from previous cartoon avatars?
Answer: It relies on high-precision digital scanning that generates 3D human twins simulating facial features, eye expressions, and mouth movements with realistic accuracy.
Question: When do internal sources expect the headset to launch in markets for consumers?
Answer: Leaked internal memos point to targeting the first half of 2027 for its commercial rollout after being delayed from 2026.
