Meta is opening up its smart glasses platform to third party developers, a move that could significantly expand the capabilities of its Ray Ban and Oakley wearable devices. The company announced the new initiative on the second day of its Connect event, introducing a set of tools that will allow outside developers to build apps that leverage the glasses built in sensors and audio features. Previously, Meta only offered a limited number of third party integrations, such as Spotify and Audible. The new Wearables Device Access Toolkit will enable a much wider range of companies to create custom experiences that can utilize Meta multimodal AI technology. This AI can process both audio and visual inputs from the glasses cameras and microphones. Meta is already collaborating with a group of early partners. Twitch is developing a livestreaming capability for the glasses. Disney is experimenting with an app designed for use inside its theme parks. A demo video showed a visitor at Disneyland using the AI assistant to ask questions about rides and get general park information. Furthermore, the golf app 18Birdies is working on an integration that would provide players with club recommendations and yardage statistics directly through the glasses. A key point is that these new apps appear to be compatible with Meta non display smart glasses. This suggests that even owners of the first generation Ray Ban Meta glasses could receive a host of new functionalities through software updates. It remains to be seen if developers will also get access to build apps for the display on the newer Meta Ray Ban Display frames, which would open the door for augmented reality experiences. The Wearables Device Access Toolkit is initially launching as a limited developer preview. Meta plans to make the tools more broadly available to developers in 2026, signaling a long term commitment to building an ecosystem around its smart glasses hardware. This opening of the platform marks a significant step in Meta strategy to make its wearable devices more versatile and useful for a wider array of everyday tasks and niche activities.
