Meta is developing a new mixed reality (MR) glasses project codenamed "Phoenix", but according to Business Insider, its release date has been delayed from the original second half of 2026 to the first half of 2027. This decision, nearly a year later, was made after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg held a meeting, where he asked the team to spend more time ensuring the business is sustainable and provides a higher quality user experience.

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According to reports, Business Insider saw an internal memo released by Meta executives confirming this delay. Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns, head of the Metaverse, wrote in the memo that the delayed launch "will give us more breathing room to refine the details". This decision reflects a shift in Meta's current strategy, prioritizing product refinement and long-term business model sustainability.

According to insiders, the new mixed reality glasses "Phoenix" will be designed similarly to Apple's Vision Pro and will use a disc-shaped external power supply. Although Meta already has VR headsets (such as the Quest series) and Ray-Ban smart glasses, "Phoenix" is considered a key product for Meta's competition in the MR field.

Notably, this delay comes amid a broader cost-cutting in the company's metaverse business. Bloomberg reported earlier this week that Meta plans to cut its metaverse budget by up to 30%. Cutting costs while postponing a key hardware project highlights the challenges and adjustments Meta is facing in its metaverse strategy.