Meta has postponed the launch of its ultralight headset with tether pack to the first half of 2027, and is separately starting work on the gaming-focused Quest 4, a leaked memo reveals.
Two internal memos were sent earlier this week. These were first reported by Business Insider a few hours ago, and UploadVR can independently confirm their authenticity.
One of them, sent to staff by Reality Labs Vice President Maher Saba, mentions the delay of the ultra-light open peripheral headset with a tethered computing pack running Horizon OS, which multiple reports, including ours, recently suggested Meta hopes to release next year. Various codenames have been leaked for this potential product, including Puffin, Phoenix, and Loma.
Saba told staff that the new goal is to launch the ultralight device in the first half of 2027.
This headset will focus on virtual screens and other seated use cases. Meta has internally discussed the product’s names, including “Quest Air,” but it’s unclear what that determines.
His memo also mentions that a new “limited edition” wearable device codenamed Malibu 2 will be released in 2026. It’s unclear what this will be, but it might be the rumored Prada Meta Glasses.
GravityXR: Chinese startup develops chip that enables ultra-light headsets
A Chinese startup with former Apple and Meta engineers has built a coprocessor that enables ultra-light headsets. Its reference design is the lightest ever shown.
Another note comes from Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns, heads of the Metaverse and Horizon OS groups within Reality Labs.
They suggest that the ultra-light headset’s delay gives staff “more leeway to get the details right.”
“With a tight development schedule and major changes to our core UX, a lot of things need to be done urgently. We won’t compromise on delivering a fully polished and reliable experience,” they say.
Aul and Cairns also note that they are starting work on the next generation of mainline headsets, which UploadVR understands will likely be called the Quest 4.
The headset is focused on immersive gaming and features “significant upgrades” over the Quest 3, with “significantly improved unit economics.” This strongly signals the end of the strategy of subsidizing low-cost devices. Meta wants to gradually move Reality Labs into a profitable division, and this is a key part of that plan.
Meta-favor ultra-light headset with pack over traditional Quest 4
Meta is prioritizing shipping its ultra-lightweight Horizon OS headset with tethered compute pack in 2026, and the new traditional form factor Quest may not ship until 2027.
Development of the Quest 4 comes about six months after previous contenders for the 2026 Quest 4 and Quest 4S lines were canceled, and Meta made this decision in conjunction with prioritizing the release of ultra-light headsets.
According to the new plan, the ultralight headset will be launched in the first half of 2027, while the traditional Quest 4 will be released at a later date, perhaps in the second half or 2028.
The leaked memo comes shortly after Meta officially confirmed that it would be “moving some of its investments from the Metaverse into AI glasses and wearables.” And just to be clear, wearables do not include quests in the meta.
That doesn’t seem to stop the company from working on new headsets, but Saba’s memo mentions a need to “focus on making our business sustainable,” and the decision not to subsidize the Quest 4 appears to be a result of that budget pressure.
He also said teams shouldn’t use the ultralight headset delay to “add features or take on additional work,” but instead focus on polishing what they already have planned.
Meta confirms that it will “shift some of its funds from the Metaverse to AI Glasses”
Following reports that Reality Labs’ budget has been cut by up to 30%, Meta has officially confirmed that it will “shift some of its investments from Metaverse to AI glasses and wearables.”
Keep in mind that Meta’s hardware roadmap is constantly changing, and the company frequently launches and cancels headsets before they ship. When a particular product gets close to shipping, we’ll let you know if there’s a reliable rumor that it’s about to arrive. Until then, be prepared for your plans to be canceled or delayed.
