Meta has officially launched a developer preview for its Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, marking the first time third-party apps can access the in-lens display. Developers can now adapt existing iOS and Android applications to show content on the glasses or build standalone web apps using standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The platform facilitates the creation of overlays, real-time data feeds, micro-apps, and games.
Access is facilitated through the Meta Wearables Device Access Toolkit, which provides native SDKs for both Android and iOS. Notably, web-based applications can be hosted via standard URLs, bypassing the immediate need for a dedicated app store. This dual-track approach offers developers the flexibility to choose between deep native integration and rapid web-based deployment.
The toolkit enables UI elements such as text, images, buttons, and video on the in-lens display. Early use cases involve interactive guides, streaming utilities, and minigames. Crucially, apps can integrate with the Neural Band gesture control system included with the Ray-Ban Display. While Meta hasn't specified app category restrictions or a formal review process yet, the preview status suggests the ecosystem will evolve significantly before a general public rollout.
Alongside the developer preview, Meta is rolling out four consumer-facing features. These include Neural Handwriting for gesture-based text input via the Neural Band, in-lens display recording, expanded turn-by-turn navigation across the US and Europe, and broader live captioning. Furthermore, "Muse Spark," Meta's proprietary AI model from Superintelligence Labs, will debut this summer, promising advanced conversational skills and support for complex multi-agent tasks.
Launched in September 2025, the Ray-Ban Display has seen steady updates to its widgets and messaging tools. This move to open the platform arrives just as competition intensifies from Google and Samsung's upcoming Android XR-based wearables. Meta has yet to announce the timeline for the transition out of the testing phase or the general availability of third-party apps.
