When I reviewed the Meta Ray-Ban Meta glasses, one of my top frustrations was that only a handful of apps could take advantage of the frames’ display—and they were all made by Meta. That’s finally changing.
Third-Party Developer Access Arrives
Meta is opening the glasses to third-party developers, who can now experiment with display-enabled apps and the device’s Neural Band controller. The platform works with apps that have an accompanying iOS or Android mobile app, and should also be compatible with web apps, the company said in an update.
With a 20-degree field of view, the glasses’ display isn’t fully immersive like standalone AR glasses. Meta says it’s looking for apps suited to the monocular display—think “information overlays.” For example, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth shared a video of an early app called “Darkroom Buddy,” an interactive guide for developing film that serves as a “glanceable” reference.
“The gap between thought and prototype has never been smaller. Add glasses and inputs like the Neural Band, and it feels like the early days of building in a mode we haven’t seen in over a decade.”
— Boz (@boztank) May 14, 2026
The company suggests developers can build experiences for streaming media, “real-time data displays, like scores or status updates,” and various kinds of “micro-apps.” Meta also appears interested in minigames—a video shared by the company shows examples like chess, Snake, and a brick-breaker style game. (The glasses already ship with one Meta-made puzzle game, though I didn’t find it particularly compelling.)
Why This Matters
The addition of third-party apps could unlock significantly more functionality for the $800 glasses launched last fall. Since launch, Meta has added a few of its own features like a built-in teleprompter and handwriting capabilities, but the glasses have still felt somewhat limited. For instance, I wanted to use them while cooking, but the only way to get a recipe onto the display was to ask Meta AI for one. I doubt major recipe app developers are targeting this device yet, but at least it’s now theoretically possible.
It’s unclear when these third-party apps will actually be available. Meta announced third-party app support for its non-display smart glasses last year, but most still aren’t live. One thing I’ll be watching closely is how these new experiences affect battery life—display-intensive apps can drain the glasses’ onboard battery quickly.
Timing and Existing Updates
The announcement timing is notable. Meta just announced dates for its next Connect event, where we’ll likely see more smart glasses updates. CEO Mark Zuckerberg also teased a new pair of glasses that could be the next iteration of the Ray-Ban Meta frames.
For current owners, Meta is rolling out a few meaningful updates already available:
- Neural handwriting: Reply to messages by tracing letters with your fingers—now available to everyone.
- Display recording: Record what’s happening on the in-glasses display alongside your own gaze and share it with others. I’ve found it tough to explain what using the heads-up display feels like, so I’m looking forward to trying this.
- Live captioning: Coming to calls made through Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
