Updated
Updated · roadtovr.com · Sep 16
Meta to Unveil Project Phoenix MR Headset on Sept. 23 with Hologram-Like Calls
Updated
Updated · roadtovr.com · Sep 16

Meta to Unveil Project Phoenix MR Headset on Sept. 23 with Hologram-Like Calls

3 articles · Updated · roadtovr.com · Sep 16

Summary

  • Sept. 23-24 is when Meta is expected to debut Project Phoenix at its Connect conference, pairing the mixed-reality headset with a live demo of photorealistic “hologram-like” calls.
  • The call feature reportedly uses an advanced version of Meta’s Codec Avatars, a project the company has been developing since 2015, with Mark Zuckerberg and CTO Andrew Bosworth expected to present it during the keynote.
  • Leaked images have already pointed to a Phoenix unveiling, though it remains unclear whether the avatar system is nearing a commercial launch or will be shown as in-progress research.
  • Project Phoenix is described as a slim, light headset tethered to a pocketable compute puck, a design meant to shift weight off the user’s head and improve comfort.
  • The reveal would mark Meta’s next XR push as it moves beyond its long-cartoonish avatars and tries to narrow the gap with Apple’s more lifelike Personas.

Insights

Can Meta's decade-long Codec Avatar project actually dethrone Apple's lifelike Personas, or will the holograms fall into the uncanny valley?
Will Meta's radical shift to a pocketable compute puck finally make mixed reality comfortable, or just create a new tethered nightmare?
With cameras constantly tracking your surroundings, what hidden privacy risks does Meta's upcoming glasses-like headset truly pose to everyday users?