Meta unveils VR glasses, Muse AI app tops US App Store, previews Charm wearable

Meta nailed it. With agentic AI, hardware, accessibility, and distribution, I believe they are on their way to becoming the industry leader. Here are a few thoughts.

Meta's keynote yesterday left me incredibly impressed. Muse already appears to be a major success, having reached number one in the US iOS App Store, and I've heard plenty of enthusiasm about the Mac app. Several factors make Meta stand out right now.

I attended the keynote at Meta's invitation as part of a very select group of creators, with whom I later had the opportunity to meet Mark Zuckerberg. It still feels completely surreal to have experienced that. But back to the keynote:

1. Making Agentic AI Accessible

Meta seems to understand how to make agentic AI accessible. They are leveraging what I see as their biggest moat—distribution—and making their products approachable enough for the average person to enjoy using them. Muse is designed around familiar interactions, including messaging within its app or through WhatsApp. That is no small feat. To truly reach the consumer market, you must avoid overwhelming people, and I think Meta is getting that right.

At the same time, Meta's Spark models are quite good. No, they are not as advanced as Fable or GPT-6 Astra, but they are more than sufficient for even the most complex tasks. Meta doesn't need to be at the very cutting edge of frontier models. Its models just need to be good enough for the people it wants to reach.

2. Surprising Hardware Unveiled

Meta unveiled hardware yesterday that genuinely surprised me. There was an Apple-style "one more thing" moment, and the new VR glasses clearly invite comparison with Vision Pro. Meta says they will launch in spring 2027 for $1,299.99 and weigh approximately 100 grams on your face. The separate computing and battery puck is additional. That is still completely remarkable. People who tried them told me they preferred them to Apple Vision Pro—though these are personal impressions rather than proof of superior visual quality across the board.

3. Jolly, Muse Charm, and a Wearable AI Gadget

Then there is the adorable Jolly, the avatar associated with Muse. Pair that personality with the promised agent integration and multiple virtual screens, and I can easily see this becoming a huge hit next year.

As if that weren't enough, Meta also previewed Muse Charm, a cute, portable AI gadget for talking to and interacting with Muse. Meta says more details will follow later this year, so this is an announcement rather than a confirmed retail launch.

Additionally, Meta released a cute AI gadget: a pendant you can carry as a wearable and use to delegate tasks. That is a first-mover move that puts them ahead of even OpenAI. Meta is no longer just following the competition—it is now moving ahead of it.

Of course, it is too early to say whether this gadget will actually prove useful. But I see it as another sign that Meta is transitioning from follower to frontrunner.

Final Thoughts

One thing is certain for me: I am getting the new VR glasses. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind. If typing works as well as promised, the connection to Muse is seamless, and battery life is good enough for everyday use, this will be an absolute game changer.

I think Meta has officially joined the big leagues.

P.S. Thank you @Meta for providing me a pair of your Meta Glasses! :)