Leaked Meta firmware reveals slim Project Phoenix headset visuals
The first clear visuals of Meta’s upcoming premium headset, internally known as Project Phoenix, have surfaced in the company’s Horizon OS firmware. The leak provides the most detailed look yet at the tech giant’s next-generation mixed reality device.
The images were discovered in a recent update to a free developer application called HorizonOS Prescription Lens. The app initially appeared in August as a placeholder package, but a September update included detailed assets showing how users will attach prescription lenses to the new hardware.
The leaked visuals confirm earlier reports that Meta is developing an ultralight, open-periphery headset intended to occupy a high-end market position similar to the Meta Quest Pro. The design features a significantly slimmer form factor than previous models. Instead of a traditional facial interface that blocks out peripheral vision, the Phoenix headset rests on the user’s nose using glasses-style pads.
The first visuals of Meta’s Project Phoenix headset have been found in Horizon OS firmware, revealing a slim design with a tether for the compute puck. Details here: https://t.co/3a7NMPOcjv https://t.co/qPnLXBl0zy
— UploadVR (@UploadVR) September 10, 2026
The device features visible sensors positioned along the sides and undersides of the temples. The images also show the headset from the rear, confirming it relies on a tethered compute puck to reduce weight on the user’s head. The connecting cable is shown extending from the end of the left temple.
Focus on controller-free interaction
The prescription lens application demonstrates a setup process where users hold a QR code in front of the headset’s cameras to calibrate their specific inserts. The presence of such detailed onboarding assets suggests the hardware is advancing steadily through its development cycle.
The leak coincides with the approaching Meta Connect 2026 conference. The event’s published agenda includes a session focused on controller-free interaction, aligning with industry expectations that Project Phoenix will rely heavily on advanced hand and eye tracking rather than physical controllers.
Code-named Phoenix, Stanley and Loma at various stages of development, the hardware represents Meta’s ongoing push to refine spatial computing ergonomics. The company has not officially commented on the firmware leak or confirmed a release timeline for the new headset.
