What you need to know

• WhatsApp announced the beginning of its global username reservation period for the platform.
• Users can begin reserving their desired username this week on WhatsApp, which lets them share this instead of their phone number for added privacy.
• Small business owners and content creators can "claim" their usernames from Facebook or Instagram and port it into WhatsApp.

In the name of privacy, WhatsApp is rolling out username reservations, and this is how you can get started.

Today (June 29), WhatsApp announced that its "introducing usernames" to the platform this week. Users can keep their phone numbers to themselves and instead put their chosen username front and center. What's more, WhatsApp is adding a "key" to help users "control who contacts you by your username." To avoid overlap, the messaging platform is kicking things off with a reservation period before the username feature launches officially "later this year."

What's rolling out is a new Username option in your WhatsApp account settings (Settings > Account > Username). Tapping that will give an initial splash screen and a button to create one. The system will check to make sure your username hasn't already been taken. If it has, you'll need to create a new one. Additionally, the secondary level of security is the "key."

If you specify that only people with your key can contact you, WhatsApp will generate a unique string of numbers for you. However, you must share your username and this generated key before someone can start texting or calling you.

WhatsApp states that there is no "registry" or suggestions for usernames. People must know your name (and key, if you've chosen that) before they can contact you. For content creators and businesses on Facebook or Instagram, users can "claim" their username and transfer it to WhatsApp.

Reserved under...?

WhatsApp states usernames are rolling out "gradually over the coming months." The app will inform you when you can begin doing so in your country.

We've been hearing about usernames on WhatsApp for a while now. The messaging platform rolled out a few contact-focused features a while ago. The main goal was to give users the option to save contacts from WhatsApp web and Windows devices. It gave more flexibility when interacting with contacts, as the only way you could do so prior was on your primary phone.

However, the platform said this was done to begin setting the framework for usernames in the future. This would be that future. Global reservations for usernames are beginning this week, so users should start thinking ahead of time and get to it ASAP.

Android Central's Take

Usernames are simple. If you grew up playing multiplayer games, you'd know the feeling. They represent who you are (in a way), and are like fun codenames when you're playing games. The thing about phone numbers is that they're so personal. They literally connect you with someone else. If someone has it, they knew exactly how to reach you. Not everyone's ready for that kind of commitment, and I think usernames can solve that.

What you need to know

• Meta states it will donate its Ray-Ban AI smart glasses to legally blind veterans through its various partnerships, including one with the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA).
• The BVA is said to hold in-person events for blinded veterans to get their glasses and receive technical support, as well as a "training guide."
• We expect much more about Meta's smart glasses this year at Connect 2026, and there might be something extra from Qualcomm.

The Fourth of July is coming up, and Meta has announced that it will donate Ray-Ban AI glasses to legally blind American veterans.

The company broke things down in a newsroom post, stating that there are "more than 130,000" legally blind American veterans in the country. To get this done, Meta states it's partnering with the Blinded Veterans Association to hold "monthly webinars" (with TechSoup). These webinars are educational, giving veterans a chance to ask questions about AI glasses problems and receive support.

The BVA is furthering its assistance by developing a "training guide" for blind or low-vision veterans. The guide will consist of "voice command activation, reading documents, answering phone calls, and navigating daily tasks with greater autonomy." Meta will continue to partner with other organizations to host in-person events where veterans can receive their AI glasses and early assistance.

Meta is also using its partnerships not only to help blind or low-vision veterans but also to connect them with others with similar stories.

Eligible veterans can get started by visiting the BVA's official page for blinded veterans to request a device.

Meta pushes its smart glasses

Outside of the standard Ray-Ban space, Meta rolled out an update for its Ray-Ban Display glasses with major features. The update was scarce early on, but those who received it first reported Palm Unlock. This unlock method was added to the device's biometrics, giving users a way to access their glasses by opening their palm. "Live Sports" was another addition. Users could receive updated scores on their HUD without reaching for their phone.

What's more, Meta brought better functionality with WhatsApp video calls. Users could lean on their glasses' POV camera. This would stream what they see to their friends/family on the call, so it's like they're there with them. There's a lot more that we're expecting from Meta this year, especially during Connect in September. Qualcomm's started teasing "something new" in the realm of XR, and we can't help but think this could debut (or at least show up) during Meta Connect.

What you need to know

• Meta is bringing dedicated Meta Lab spaces to over 50 Best Buy stores across North America.
• The mini stores feature trained Meta specialists, giving shoppers hands-on demos instead of relying on boxed displays and spec sheets.
• Customers can try Quest headsets through gaming, fitness, and virtual theater experiences designed to showcase the appeal of VR.

Buying a VR headset or AI-powered glasses is often a leap of faith. Unless you know what you’re getting yourself into and have tried them out, these devices are hard to tell if they’re worth the money. Meta thinks this is a problem that it can solve.

The company is expanding its retail footprint by launching dedicated Meta Lab spaces at over 50 Best Buy locations in the U.S. and Canada, UploadVR reports. The move gives shoppers a chance to experience Meta’s growing hardware portfolio rather than relying on boxed-up displays sitting on store shelves.

Meta has been selling products through Best Buy for years, but the experience has largely been run by regular store employees. Meta says the new setup is meant to provide something more interactive and personalized. Each Meta Lab space is around 900 square feet and serves as a mini store within a Best Buy store.

Customers will be able to walk through the Meta Quest VR headsets and the company's smart glasses lineup with trained Meta sales specialists. Shoppers can actually experience what the hardware does rather than reading spec sheets.

Quest demos go beyond gimmicks

Meta’s plans include guided demos for VR fans to show off unique experiences. You could be playing a game, watching content on a giant virtual screen in theater mode, or trying out a fitness workout in immersive VR. The goal is to help first-time users understand why people buy these headsets.

The smart glasses side also gets similar treatment. Customers can shop for multiple styles and get help finding the right fit. There will also be guided demos of Meta’s latest wearable experiences, including products that pair with the company’s Neural Band accessories.

Meta Labs will be coming to the first Best Buy locations in San Bernardino and San Carlos, California. Additional stores are expected to come later this summer in Minnesota, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Ohio. Meta says it will roll out to 50 stores across North America by the end of 2026.

Android Central's Take

VR headsets and AI glasses are often difficult to sell when they are packaged in cardboard boxes and marketed with buzzwords, so providing consumers with the opportunity to physically try the hardware should simplify their purchasing decisions. That said, it also feels like Meta is doing what should have been obvious years ago. It was never a great idea to ask consumers to spend hundreds of dollars on new gadgets they couldn't hold in their hands during a demo, and I suspect many potential buyers simply walked away instead of taking that leap.

What started as a social media company, Meta is now a major player in the tech industry, responsible for blending social media with AI and the virtual world with the physical one. The company owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, and sells Quest VR headsets. The company has a strong focus on virtual reality, and while its VR focus has waned over the years, it's still one of the leading players in the market.

Behind many of its products is Meta AI, which is powered by the company's own Llama family of large language models, and the company leverages this foothold to compete with Google's Gemini. As a result, Meta has partnered with Ray-Ban and Oakley to create AI glasses for everyday use and workouts, which utilize Meta AI to visualize the world and provide users with contextual responses based on what it "sees."

What you need to know

• Qualcomm is drawing our attention toward its XR work, stating "something new" is coming to that environment.
• The company teases a "smarter and more immersive" XR system, which is likely based on its upcoming Snapdragon chip.
• It leads us to wonder if something big is being prepared for Meta Connect in September, or the new Pico XR headset.

Qualcomm is teasing what's next in the world of XR, and our minds are wondering: is Meta involved?

Qualcomm started teasing that a "new reality is coming soon" on a short X post this week. Of course, it looks like we should expect its Snapdragon chip to be a part of this major reveal—whenever that's set to be. The company has been working to create a new chip that it's positioning as a game-changer for XR.

The teaser continues, stating, "Imagine #XR that's smarter and more immersive than anything you've experienced before." While what Qualcomm's posting has users interested, that's not quite what's got everyone talking (us, included). The post is accompanied by a short teaser video showing a Snapdragon chip inside an XR headset.

It's got users wondering if Qualcomm is teasing another device from Samsung or Meta. Many users theorize that Qualcomm is using a Meta Quest Pro in its video. For us, we think the company is gearing up for a big debut at Meta Connect later this year. The headset involved certainly feels like a Quest product. Just compare it to the image at the top of this article. However, there's always a chance that it's not a major Meta teaser, but rather a Pico prelude.

XR keeps advancing

If that last sentence has you confused, don't worry. Pico is a headset brand that was acquired by ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, in 2021. In a way, you could consider this TikTok's rival to the Meta Quest. The headset that we alluded to is under Project Swan: a "high-end" XR device with custom silicon and an altered design. Pico announced earlier this year that it had plans to bring its new headset to North America this year.

That leads us right into our Meta Quest rival scenario. Circling back to Meta, the company announced its Connect event is confirmed for September 23-24, 2026. We've got AI and the Quest on our minds, and Meta confirmed as much. The company's evening keynote will involve AI, VR, wearables, and more. Meta's given us enough of a teaser to have us brainstorming for a little while. What we're most curious about is whether or not it will give us anything new about the long-rumored Ultralight Quest.

Android Central's Take

Regardless if Qualcomm is teasing something for a Quest or not, Meta Connect is shaping up to be an interesting event. Meta's been going all in on AI, and hopefully that means it's placing equal effort on its next wave of XR headsets. Details are still light, as we're only in June. We should expect to see more in the coming months leading up to the main keynote.

What you need to know

• A user on the Ray-Ban Display subreddit states they've received an update that brings quite a few features to the smart glasses.
• Palm Unlock is a new biometric security feature for the devices, alongside "Live Sports" for the lenses, and a POV camera option for calls in WhatsApp.
• Meta recently opened its door to third-party developers for the Ray-Ban Display, giving them the ability to create mobile and web apps.

Users claim Meta is rolling out a series of new features for its Ray-Ban Display glasses, but curiously, not everyone sees them.

Just before the weekend, reports started surfacing on the Meta Ray-Ban Display subreddit about an extensive list of new features in a v125-related update. The original poster (OP) shared several screenshots of what's new in this patch. One new feature, Palm Unlock, is an added biometric identification feature for the glasses. Meta states, "The distinctive details of your palm provide extra security for your glasses."

This is similar to using your fingerprint (or your face) to unlock your phone. Users' palm data is processed and stored on the device and "not sent to Meta servers." Another new feature the user spotted is "Posture detection." Slouching is a no-go, and it's even worse if you're constantly craning your neck. Meta says it will use the Ray-Ban Display's motion sensors to detect "your head position."

Phone calls were another aspect of this patch. Screenshots show that Meta has started rolling out "Phone call options" and "group video calls and POV camera" for WhatsApp. The former brings real-time captions during calls on your lens display. On WhatsApp, users can join "multi-person video calls" from their glasses and share their glasses' camera so everyone sees what you see.

Curiously, Meta also added a "Live Sports" option for the Ray-Ban Display. Connectivity is another addition users are curious about (us, too). The user captured a "Cellular" connectivity page, displaying SIMs and a "Get Connected" section for adding SIM cards.

Refining the Display

Strangely, users aren't reporting the same thing. One user said they were on the same version as the OP, but they don't see the new features. Others report being on v125.1 and v125.3 and see nothing. Perhaps Meta is just starting to roll out this new patch, and it's taking a while to reach everyone.

Meta had quite an eventful announcement for its Ray-Ban Display glasses in mid-May. The company opened the doors for third-party developers to begin creating for the Ray-Ban Display. Meta intends for developers to begin crafting mobile and web apps for the smart glasses. The Developer Preview was said to begin rolling out over the next few weeks, so, likely, they've already started receiving access.

The company also announced that its new AI, Muse Spark, will arrive in the Ray-Ban Display this summer.

Android Central's Take

Palm Unlock is probably the coolest thing about this update. I like the Live Sports thing, too. I'd imagine you'd see a small update on your HUD, which might make people audible upset if they see their favorite team is losing. Palm Unlock just sounds sci-fi to me. It's probably hard to get a good representation of this for Reddit, but I'd imagine users would need to open their palm and hold it in front of their face (glasses) to complete the scan. With that in mind, yeah, it's cool.

What you need to know

• Meta's AI reportedly aided hackers in hijacking users' Instagram accounts, and the method was embarrassingly simple.
• Hackers took screenshots, showing that need only ask the AI for access to an account, provide their email, and request a reset passcode.
• Many users were affected by this; however, a spokesperson claims this issue has been fixed.

There's been a harrowing discovery about Meta's AI that is not only dangerous, but it's also causing an uproar amongst users over account security.

This most likely isn't the way Meta wanted to start June. A video report from 404Media says that anyone can ask Meta AI for access to an account that's not theirs, and it'll do it. The publication says that the AI is offering access to "high-profile" Instagram accounts when asked. This has reportedly become a trend with hackers over the past few months: talking with the AI to gain access to accounts that aren't theirs.

The method was embarrassingly simple. The video report's screenshots show that a hacker could tell Meta AI that "they want access to a specific account." What's more, they would offer their email address, then ask for a password reset code, and the AI would willingly provide that crucial security code.

It was reiterated that Meta changed how it works its customer support. Users aren't speaking to another human. Instead, back in March, the publication states Meta went from human workers to AI for customer support—and this is the result. With further research, 404Media says it's encountered several users whose accounts have been hacked using this easy method.

Moreover, several high-profile accounts, such as former President Barack Obama's White House account, the clothing brand Sephora, and others, were supposedly seized by hackers after enlisting Meta AI for help.

An embarrassing problem

BBC got involved with its own report on the matter. It reports that a Meta spokesperson, Andy Stone, posted on X that the "issue has been resolved and we are securing impacted accounts." However, Stone also threw shade at allegations that Meta's AI was responsible for helping hackers hijack accounts from world leaders. It seems that this is being positioned as a separate issue entirely.

Users across social media are voicing their displeasure with Meta after this incident. Many question why they would resort to using AI for such a crucial area of support and not have more appropriate verification measures in place. It comes as no surprise that Meta is so involved with AI. The company's Q1 2026 earnings report showed that its spending increased by 35% ($33 billion), which was all for AI. More importantly, Meta had another massive wave of layoffs, letting go of 8,000 employees in May.

Those layoffs seemed to have the echo of AI looming in the background.

Android Central's Take

Appalling is the one word that comes to mind for this. If a company is going to invest so much money into AI and let go of thousands of real humans just for the sake of this tech, shouldn't it take its decision more seriously? Sure, the issue has been fixed. It still happened in the first place when it shouldn't have. Who knows why Meta is so fixated on AI (and not humans). Whatever the case may be, the trust is gone.

What you need to know

• Meta's head of product, Naomi Gleit, announced the company's array of "Plus" subscription plans for Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
• These plans will give users more ways to "express and connect" for $3.99 per month (Facebook, Insta) and $2.99 per month for WhatsApp.
• The company then teased "Meta One," a subscription tests that includes four plans, two of which will arrive for testing for Meta AI users.

Meta is definitely making some moves this month, announcing a series of new subscription plans for its apps.

Naomi Gleit, Meta's head of product, announced on Instagram that the company is rolling out subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp (via TechCrunch). Gleit teases these subscriptions by asking, "What if subscriptions could give you more from your apps?" What's rolling out globally are the Instagram Plus, WhatsApp Plus, and Facebook Plus plans.

The publication notes that these plans cost $3.99 a month (Facebook, Instagram) and $2.99 a month for WhatsApp. Gleit adds that these plans give users "richer ways" to "express and connect" with others on those platforms. The early glimpses on Instagram showed vibrant, expressive animations for liking Stories, which TechCrunch says is called "Super Heart." What's more, their report says Instagram Plus subscribers can "spotlight a story once a week for additional views, extend a story beyond 24 hours, preview a story without showing up as a viewer," and more.

Meta's announcement continued with a teaser for what's to come: a test for the "Meta One" subscription plan. It's been reported that this plan and the plans for Meta's apps will not affect "Meta Verified," which is to help creators keep their identities on its services. Meta One is reportedly going to encompass "creators, businesses, and Meta AI power users."

This is where we're going?

What's more, it looks like the company has a whole smorgasbord of plans under Meta One. TechCrunch states Meta AI users will test "Meta One Plus" ($7.99/month) and "Meta One Premium" ($19.99/month). The latter would offer video/image generation for Meta AI, as well as "thinking mode," which you could look at Gemini's Deep Think for a close comparison. Reports add that Meta AI will not disappear from casual users.

There are two other Meta One tests planned, but it's been stated that these will hit overseas markets. The publication states the company is preparing to introduce Meta One Essential for $14.99 a month and Meta One Advanced at $49.99 a month. This Advanced plan will mirror Essential's offerings (which resemble Meta Verified), but also have more presence in Facebook/Instagram search, a bold "Follow" button on your profile, and more.

This is an interesting move from Meta, considering it just axed 8,000 employees last week. There were already murmurs that employees were unhappy at Meta following certain AI-based decisions. With 8,000 members gone, it looks like Meta will continue to focus strongly on AI and its advancements. The company's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, stated that he doesn't "expect more layoffs this year," but people aren't holding their breath. Meta has had a brutal history of massive layoffs, impacting thousands upon thousands.

Android Central's Take

I took a gander through the comments on Instagram (I know, I know) and reactions seem split. Some people, such as content creators, like what Meta talked about. Others don't feel the same way. It sounds a little strange to think about shoveling a subscription for certain features or whatever, but it's not completely out of left field. I suppose that the lower cost for "Plus" across Meta's apps is a highlight. As more surfaces, and users get their hands on it, we'll see if it's truly worth it. But it'll still only attract people who'd use it.

Meta isn't exactly known for keeping your data safe. Meta, like a handful of other tech companies, is primarily in the advertising business. It wants to sell personalized ads to other companies for placement on its social media platforms, tailored to you using the data it collects.

This is Meta's core business model, and it explains why the brand wants as much user data as it can get. That's without getting into the data privacy scandals Meta has been involved in over the years.

Naturally, putting a Meta camera and microphone on your face might raise some concerns. I admit, as a Meta skeptic, I had some qualms about buying into the Meta smart glasses ecosystem. But they're the best, and I got over my privacy fears as a result. However, I make sure as much of my Meta smart glasses data remains private as possible using these three simple settings in the Meta AI app. Here's how you can too.

Disable 'Hey Meta' to prevent accidental triggers

I bought Meta smart glasses — three pairs of them, in fact — for the "smart" features. By that, I mean the onboard camera, microphone, speaker, and Bluetooth capabilities. Although the brand heavily markets these wearables as "AI glasses," I'm really not interested in putting Meta's AI on my face. To a degree, AI is built directly into Meta smart glasses, but there are a few things you can do to avoid accidental interactions and unwanted data sharing.

Specifically, Meta glasses have "Hey Meta" and "OK Meta" wake words that activate the voice assistant when uttered. Any content captured or recorded during a Meta AI session may be used for training purposes or even be manually reviewed by humans. For this reason, you don't want Meta AI to be accidentally activated when your smart glasses think you've said "Hey Meta" or "OK Meta."

Luckily, you can deactivate the hands-free Meta AI mode in the app using these steps:

1. Open the Meta AI app.

2. Connect your Meta smart glasses, then tap the settings gear for your glasses.

3. Tap Meta AI.

4. Press "Hey Meta" preferences.

5. Flip the toggle beside "Hey Meta" off.

Now, you will still be able to activate Meta AI using the touchpad on the side of your smart glasses' right temple. However, voice-activated Meta AI will no longer be available, and that's great if you want to limit accidental triggers and reduce data sharing with Meta.

Disable cloud media to keep your photos and videos on-device

The goals of changing these settings are to keep as much data on your devices as possible and to avoid sharing unnecessary data with Meta. There's no better way to do this than by disabling the Cloud media feature on your smart glasses. When enabled, this setting shares your photos and videos to Meta servers for cloud processing. These are stored in the cloud for 30 days before being automatically deleted. You can also manually delete them from both your device and the cloud in the Meta AI app.

It's possible to avoid cloud processing and storage of the photos and videos you take with Meta smart glasses with a quick settings tweak. This keeps everything on your device, meaning your photos and videos won't be sent to Meta servers. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the Meta AI app.

2. Connect your Meta smart glasses, then tap the settings gear for your glasses.

3. Tap Glasses privacy.

4. Flip the toggle beside Cloud media off.

Cloud media processing might slightly improve the quality of your photos and videos recorded with Meta smart glasses, but I'd rather keep everything on-device for privacy reasons. You can always upload your captures to another cloud media service, like Google Photos, for storage, enhancements, and editing.

Disable additional data sharing with Meta

Every product and service wants you to share additional data, usually to identify bugs and improve features. This is a somewhat noble ask, but I'll always politely decline sharing data beyond what is absolutely necessary.

There is some data that Meta describes as "essential" and must be shared. The other category of data is called "additional data," and this is described as "information about how you use your AI Glasses and Wrist devices."

Thanks for asking, Meta, but no thanks. I disable additional data collection for my Meta wearables with these steps:

1. Open the Meta AI app.

2. Connect your Meta smart glasses, then tap the settings gear for your glasses.

3. Tap Glasses privacy.

4. Flip the toggle beside Share additional data off.

Now, only the data that is absolutely necessary will be collected by Meta. The details about how you use your devices, including how often you use them, won't be shared.

I wish Meta would do more to address the valid privacy concerns associated with its products and services, namely the ones you wear on your face. In the meantime, these three settings help you keep as much of your data private as you can, so you can keep wearing Meta glasses without the fear of sharing too much.

What you need to know

• Meta reportedly chopped a staggering 8,000 members of its workforce today (May 20), as it seemingly looks to chase AI even more.
• Another report says Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has started informing what remains of his employees that he "does not expect more layoffs this year."
• Meta has had a long history is letting go its staff in massive chunks, whether that be for "efficiency" or to "better align with its goals."

In what's become an unsightly trend, Meta has reportedly laid off another massive chunk of its workforce.

It's been reported today (May 20) by the New York Post that Meta has laid off 8,000 more employees. The publication states Meta's latest layoffs will take place in "three massive waves." Meta has been notifying employees that they've been let go via emails sent out (and received) at 4 AM in their respective time zones globally. What makes matters worse is that the publication states employees already knew the end was coming.

Meta reportedly informed its staff last month that a "10% reduction" in its workforce was looming for May—now it's here. The New York Post points out that this did nothing for morale, as people became frantic, unsure if they'd be out of a job in a month, courtesy of the San Francisco Standard. It appears that Meta is doing this as it drastically shifts its focus to AI development.

Reuters got involved, highlighting an exclusive it received, which claims that Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, told what remains of his employees that he "does not expect more layoffs this year." He added, "...we haven't been as clear as we aspire to be in our communication, ​and that's one area I want to make sure ​we improve."

Employees have not taken too kindly to this, with many not offering up their faith in the CEO's words today. Reports also highlight that while 8,000 employees have been let go today, Meta is seemingly poised to "restructure" another 7,000 to AI-focused positions.

Morale is low

Going back to how negative Meta employees have been feeling lately, this has been written in the stars for a while. Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich found a report by Fast Company, suggesting Meta's employees aren't too pleased with AI or the layoffs. The publication highlights that there's been a sharp increase in negative posts over Meta's overwhelming AI push on the workplace forum, Blind. Meta has certainly been pushing for AI, and its Q1 earnings report tells the story.

While the company posted a $56.31 billion in revenue (a 33% year-over-year increase), its spending also shot up to $33 billion from January 1 to March 31, 2026. Senior analyst at Investing.com, Jesse Cohen, states, "Meta's earnings beat was overshadowed by the Capex surprise. Investors are digesting the reality that Meta's ambitious AI ambitions come with a hefty price tag that will pressure profitability in the near term."

This has not been the only time that Meta has delivered a gut punch to its staff. Late in 2024, it cut employees (to "align with its goals"), which came a year after 10,000 were lost due to its "Year of Efficiency." In 2022, the company let go of around 11,000 employees. In 2026, the company dropped 1,500 people involved in its Reality Labs.

Android Central's Take

I'd like to take a moment to echo what Mark Zuckerberg reportedly said to employees earlier today: "I want to be clear that we do not expect ​other company-wide layoffs this year" (thanks, Reuters). I can say all that I want to say about this, but it's the people working there—the people—who are raising their voices, trying to be heard. Unfortunately, it seems their cries are falling on deaf ears, as Meta will do what it will when it comes to laying people off for "efficiency" or to "better align" with its goals.

What you need to know

• Meta announced that it's opening the doors for other developers to begin creating mobile and web apps for the Ray-Ban Display.
• The company will roll out availability for its Developer Preview over the next few weeks; however, devs can get a head start before they enter.
• The Ray-Ban Display is expected to receive Meta's AI, Muse Spark, this summer, and Connect 2026 is on the way this September.

Meta announced late this week that its built-in lens display glasses are opening their doors to developers looking to make the best apps for it.

In a press release, Meta states that while developers have been experimenting with builds for its AI glasses, the Ray-Ban Display now provides two ways for them to create future apps. Meta is rolling out access for developers (via the Developer Preview) for them to begin creating mobile and web apps. The company adds, "You can create display experiences using familiar tools, whether you're extending an existing iOS or Android mobile app or building something entirely new."

It highlights that developers won't have to worry about creating a dev kit from scratch, as the medium—the platform—is already there. Devs can get an early start on their future on the Ray-Ban Display, as availability continues to roll out over the next few weeks.

The Meta Wearables Device Access Toolkit is where developers will find what they need for mobile apps on the Ray-Ban Display. This is a native SDK for Android and iOS, allowing devs to extend their apps onto the device's display. There will be tools to add UI features, such as "text, images, lists, buttons, and video playback." On the other hand, the new web apps path lets developers build using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

One big part of the Ray-Ban Display is its Neural Band, which utilizes your hand's movements to complete actions on its in-lens screen. Developers can now take advantage of it by adding informative overlays, real-time data (think sports scores), media streaming, and more.

More coming

This is the second bit of good news for the Ray-Ban Display this week, as the other portion was all about Muse Spark. It's probably better to say this AI announcement is only half good for the Display. Earlier this week, Meta revealed that its new LLM, Muse Spark, was headed for its AI glasses. This gives users access to its smarter, more accurate AI model, capable of handling tasks/requests with speed and precision, thanks to its use of multiple AI agents.

This is rolling out for Meta's AI glasses Gen 1 and Gen 2; however, the Display will have to wait until this summer to get it. That's not all, as Meta Connect 2026 was confirmed to take place from September 23-24. There weren't many details, but what was teased was AI, VR, wearables, and more for its main keynote.

Android Central's Take

This can only be a good thing for Meta. However, it does feel like the company is trying to ensure it can keep up with the changing tide. More companies are stepping forward with their own AI glasses, and with apps that are interested because of the developers behind them. If Meta wants to remain relevant and in contention, opening up the doors for developers outside of their own is a good idea.

What you need to know

• Meta announced that it's preparing to rollout its Muse Spark AI on its AI Glasses Gen 1 and Gen 2, but states its Ray-Ban Display will wait until the summer.
• Muse Spark is also receiving an update that improves its voice conversation capabilities and adds a useful shopping feature.
• Meta Connect 2026 is confirmed to take place from September 23-24.

Meta's new LLM is the latest piece of AI software that's taking over its devices, and the company says it's coming to its smart glasses, too.

The company revealed a new Muse Spark update that's rolling out this week; however, it also confirmed its arrival on a couple of smart glasses. Shortly after, Meta responded to a user's question about when Muse Spark will hit its wearables. According to the post, users can expect the new AI model to reach the Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses "gradually over the next few weeks" in the U.S. and Canada.

It's safe to say this update has already started its slow arrival, so users with these models (Meta AI glasses Gen 1 and Gen 2) should keep their eyes out. A small thread on Reddit discussed this, and one user has received an update, but it appears unrelated. For now, the wait continues. Regarding the user's question about the Ray-Ban Display glasses, Meta says users with this model will have to wait until the summer for Muse Spark.

On Meta's blog, it detailed the update users can expect for Muse Spark in the company's AI app. Leading off the changes is an update for the AI's voice conversation capabilities. It states, "Muse Spark lets you talk naturally with the assistant—interrupt, switch topics, or swap languages." What's more, the AI is said to keep up with your mindset while you talk. Muse Spark can generate images or pull up relevant information from the web during a conversation.

Meta's Live AI is making the jump from its glasses to its AI app. This opens up the possibility of using your camera to locate an item and ask the AI about it. A shopping update in this patch lets users query the AI for help in searching the Facebook Marketplace or other stores online.

Meta AI

Muse Spark is Meta's newest LLM, positioned as the catalyst for a "people first" era in AI. Since its April debut, the company has been busy bringing it to its social media apps to aid users and its AI app. What's significant now is that the company's smart glasses are getting them, which (ideally) can only help. Muse Spark was touted as a smarter, faster AI assistant, capable of leveraging multiple AI agents to handle tasks.

On a related note, Meta Connect 2026 has been confirmed to take place from September 23-24. There, it's been teased that Meta has VR, wearables, and AI reveals lined up for users and developers.

Android Central's Take

It's hard for me not to think that Meta is feeling somewhat inspired by what Google's been doing. Making Muse Spark and positioning it as a "people first" AI just screams usability in everyday life. Meta wants this AI to be used for simple tasks, for finding information, for understanding, and the like. But, as always, I'm sure it won't stop there.

What you need to know

• Meta announced that its Connect 2026 event will take place from September 23-24.
• Its evening keynote will dive into AI, VR, wearables, and more, and Meta says it will also host developers sessions for more details.
• We've seen the company already reveal Muse Spark, its new LLM that is reportedly going to bring in a new "people first" era.

If you've been spinning with news and new reveals, this Meta announcement keeps that going with a teaser about what's next for VR and more.

Like many other companies, Meta Connect is the time for consumers and developers to see what's coming next from the company. This year will be no different, as Meta revealed that its Connect 2026 event will be held from September 23-24. Those looking to attend will have to head to Menlo Park, California, to the company's campus.

All we have right now are small teasers. Meta says users will get a good look at the company's "next computing platform" during the showcase. What's more, Meta will be holding "evening keynote and developer sessions." It's at this time that we should expect to see its VR development, wearables, metaverse details, and (of course) AI. Meta is aware of its big VR push (how could it not?), stating that we'll see how it can push that industry forward.

More details are expected to surface from Meta as the year progresses. While we wait, there are a few things we should note.

This Connect could be massive, too

Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich is typically engrossed in Meta's VR happenings and expects the company to have a slew of hardware reveals during Connect 2026. That appears to be the case, considering it's teased "wearables" and VR, potentially signaling glimpses at new smart glasses and headsets. However, it's the latter portion, the VR headsets, that Sutrich is focusing on. He expects Meta to give us something about its long-rumored Ultralight Quest during the keynote.

As far as its AI goes, we've seen—and in detail, too—where Meta is trying to position it with the Muse Spark LLM. It was giving Gemini vibes, but with Meta's flair. Meta stated during its launch that Muse Spark was designed to usher us into a "people first" era of AI. Muse Spark can reportedly leverage multiple agents to tackle given tasks with "accuracy and speed." If you saw Meta's Q1 earnings this year, you'd know that it's sparing no expense with AI (literally). The company's spending shot up by 35%, with $33 billion spent between January 1 and March 31, 2026.

Android Central's Take

If you're ever just interested in seeing what's coming from others in the industry, Meta's Connect is pretty good for that. The company's ambitions are grand, and there's no hiding that it wants to dominate that VR space. I think its VR headsets are pretty cool in what they can do. Even its glasses are nice. It's only May, so I'm interested in seeing what the company ends up teasing to truly build hype for the event.

What you need to know

• Reports regarding Meta's AI outlook in 2026 suggest there are plans to debut an agentic AI bot on Instagram that can shop for the user.
• Supposedly, this bot could debut late in 2026, as it's influenced by another AI agent: OpenClaw.
• Other reports say that Meta's OpenClaw inspiration might extend to a set of "agentic tools" to be powered by its new LLM, Muse Spark.

Reports are surfacing late week, all involving Meta and its supposed AI plans moving forward for users on Instagram and more.

The Information alleges that Meta is looking to create an AI bot for Instagram that goes on shopping sprees for users (via Reuters). It was stated that there are internal plans to integrate this AI within the Instagram app with "agentic tools" for users. With that agentic backing, it seems like Meta wants the user in the proverbial driver's seat for this AI bot, codenamed "Hatch." Essentially, users would be able to tell the AI what they want (likely what they're looking to purchase) before setting it free.

That is the main selling point behind agentic AI, after all, to be able to "analyze, think, and act."

Allegedly, the company wants to debut this agentic AI shopping bot on Instagram late this year. The Information adds that Meta has supposedly taken inspiration from OpenClaw, too, an AI agent that's been turning some heads. Similarly, the publication spotted a Financial Times report, which claims Meta's OpenClaw inspiration runs much deeper than just an agentic AI shopping bot. Tapping its source, the Financial Times states this agentic assistant is currently being "trialled internally by a group of staff."

It adds that Meta is working on a set of "agentic tools," but details weren't provided. All that was stated was that this AI agent would likely have to lean on Muse Spark AI.

Meta's been spending on AI

Muse Spark is a relatively new addition to Meta's ever-growing AI mindset. The company debuted its new LLM early in April, stating it wanted to take its AI into a "people first" era. It was already stated at the time that Muse Spark could leverage multiple agents to handle user tasks with speed and accuracy. What's more, Muse Spark is multimodal, meaning you could ask it to do something fun, like create a minigame.

Elsewhere, Meta highlighted its hopes for people to lean on Muse Spark for medical assistance. It tried to position it positively by mentioning its collaboration with over 1,000 physicians, who have offered up "curated training data for the AI." Are we surprised to see reports about Meta looking to advance its AI yet again? Not at all; especially after what went down during its Q1 2026 earnings call.

Meta posted $56.31 billion in revenue, marking a 33% YoY (year-over-year) growth this past first quarter. However, when you look at its spending, Meta shot up by 35% ($33 billion) from January 1 to March 31, 2026. It was stated by a senior analyst at Investing.com, Jesse Cohen, that "Meta's earnings beat was overshadowed by the Capex surprise. Investors are digesting the reality that Meta's ambitious AI ambitions come with a hefty price tag that will pressure profitability in the near term."

What you need to know

• Instagram has removed end-to-end encryption from DMs, meaning your messages are no longer fully private.
• Meta can now access and analyze message content for moderation, including detecting harmful or illegal activity.
• The company says low adoption and safety concerns are the main reasons behind removing encrypted chats.
• Users can download their chats, but ongoing conversations are no longer protected by encryption.

If you care about privacy in your messages, you should stop using Instagram as a texting app starting today.

Earlier this year, Meta announced a major privacy shift, revealing that it would remove end-to-end encryption for Instagram chats. The company said the change would take effect on May 8, 2026, and that date has now arrived.

This means that starting today, Instagram DMs no longer support end-to-end encryption. As a result, Meta can access the contents of your messages, and your chats are no longer protected in the same way.

For those unfamiliar, end-to-end encryption ensures that only the sender and receiver can read the contents of a message. With this feature removed, Meta now has the ability to access and process those conversations.

Instagram never had encryption turned on by default, but since introducing it in 2019, users could opt into encrypted chats. That option is now being removed.

Meta says the decision was made due to low adoption and to strengthen moderation against issues like child exploitation, fraud, and harassment, since encryption makes it harder to detect such activity.

The bigger implication here is that Meta can now access your messages and potentially use that data for things like moderation and even ad targeting based on what you send and receive.

Meta says users affected by this change will see prompts explaining how to download their messages and media if they want to keep them. If you still want end-to-end encrypted messaging, the company suggests moving to WhatsApp, which continues to support it.

What you need to know

• Meta reported record earnings growth for Q1 2026, with the company posting $56.31 billion in revenue, a 33% year-over-year increase.
• Meta's spending also increased significantly, up 35% since this time last year with $33 billion in spending from January 1 to March 31, 2026.
• Meta signaled that its spending will continue to jump because of global component issues, now estimating between $125 billion and $145 billion for the year.

Meta makes a lot of money, and the first quarter of 2026 is the most the company has ever seen flow into its coffers. Meta's Family of Apps, which includes Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, brought in a stunning $55.9 billion. Meanwhile, Meta's Reality Labs products, like Meta Quest, Ray-Ban AI glasses, and game sales, brought in just $402 million. Meta's Q4 2025 earnings remain the highest ever at $59.89 billion.

The massive rise in revenue over the past year can likely be attributed directly to the company's use of AI in its ad business, which helps further target specific customers for ads. CEO Mark Zuckerberg continues to point to this as one of the biggest reasons the company is spending so much on its AI development and infrastructure, and while that's obviously paying off in the quarterly statements, investors still seem to be somewhat wary of the future.

At the time of the earnings call, Meta shares were down nearly 6%, as the company reported its earnings well ahead of the public call.

The big uncertainty seems to stem from two big issues: massive infrastructure costs, which have been made worse by this year's horrendous component supply shortages and cost increases, as well as what investors are calling an "unclear strategy."

Meta is now saying that the cost of AI development this year may rise by up to $30 billion over the initial low estimate. Jesse Cohen, senior analyst at Investing.com, noted that "Meta's earnings beat was overshadowed by the Capex surprise. Investors are digesting the reality that Meta's ambitious AI ambitions come with a hefty price tag that will pressure profitability in the near term."

While the company's Meta Quest, Ray-Ban, and Oakley AI glasses are making good headway in the market, year-over-year revenue is slightly down by $10 million. Meta has a solid foothold on these markets and has little competition in either VR or AI glasses at the moment, but companies like Samsung are set to debut new AI glasses this year.

But revenue growth for these products has been surprisingly slow, and that's what has had investors scared for the past few years as Meta dumped tens of billions into R&D for AR and VR products. During the call, Meta specifically called out lower-than-expected Quest sales as one of the reasons for the drop.

"The critical threshold will be if we see consecutive quarters of rising Capex coinciding with decelerating revenue growth," Cohen said. "If that happens, the narrative will permanently shift from 'building the future' to 'burning cash on a speculative vision' with no guaranteed payoff."

That last part is the real danger, as Meta is absolutely hoping to avoid another Reality Labs debacle, where investors drove the conversation about "losses" every quarter despite Zuckerberg pitching the AR and VR vision as the future of computing.

Android Central's take

Meta debuted Meta Spark, a new closed-source AI agent, just before the earnings call for a reason. Zuckerberg noted that his "view of AI is very different from others in the industry," citing that AI should amplify what you want to do instead of replacing humans. "People will be more important in the future, not less," Zuckerberg clearly pronounced during the earnings call.

But I'm not entirely sold on his vision, and it's based on the company's actions over the past few years. While Meta's headcount of 77,986 employees is 1% higher than this time last year, the company has spent substantial mindshare with massive public layoffs. While more people are clicking the company's ads than ever, public opinion of its physical products seems to be lower than ever because of these moves. Even Meta employees are said to be feeling the slump.

Meta is very much a Silicon Valley company, and that means it moves fast, breaks things often, and abandons anything that doesn't immediately produce results. The massive changes made with Meta Quest headsets have made the VR community more uncertain than ever, and there's real concern that this fear could affect the company's future efforts if it continues on the current path.

What you need to know

• Meta adds a new Family Center “Insights” tab that lets parents see the top topics teens discussed with Meta AI across Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook.
• Parents won't see actual message transcripts, but you will see categorized labels like "School," "Fitness," or "Technology."
• The feature is live now in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and Brazil, with a wider global launch coming soon.

Meta has always had a tricky relationship with teen safety, but now the company is giving parents a new way to keep an eye on things.

Starting today, Meta is launching a big update to its Family Center that gives parents more insight into what their kids are discussing with Meta AI. Parents won’t be able to read every message, but they can now see a summary of topics their teens have explored in the past week on Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook.

If this seems like a quick change in direction, it is. Meta has faced heavy criticism recently, including a $375 million court order in March for failing to stop child exploitation. Leaked internal documents from a New Mexico trial also showed that Meta leaders knew its AI characters might interact inappropriately with minors before launch.

In response, Meta has been making changes over the past few months. It already removed teen access to its celebrity-voiced AI personas, such as those voiced by Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton, back in January. The new Insights tab is the latest step to show the company can manage AI responsibly.

What you actually see

When you open the new Insights tab, you won’t see a full transcript. Instead, you get a list of categories. The system mixes broad topics with more detailed sub-categories, so you can understand the main points of the conversation without reading every private message.

You’ll see topics like "School," "Travel," or "Writing." If you select "Health and Wellbeing," for example, it might show subtopics like "Fitness" or "Mental Health." If a teen asks about "how to code a website," it will appear under "Technology." Meta will show up to 10 topics from the past week.

Meta has also created an AI Wellbeing Expert Council to make sure the AI’s responses match a "13+ movie rating" standard. The company is adding conversation starters made with the Cyberbullying Research Center. These prompts are meant to help you talk to your kids about AI in a way that doesn’t feel like an interrogation.

If your teen brings up a sensitive topic, such as self-harm or eating disorders, Meta AI is set to refuse the chat and direct them to help resources. Still, that topic will appear in your parent dashboard so you stay informed.

The feature is now available for supervised accounts in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and Brazil. It will roll out to the rest of the world in the next few weeks.

Advocacy groups like Fairplay say this puts the responsibility for safety on parents instead of the platform. Still, it shows that the days of unsupervised AI for minors are ending. Whether these insights lead to better family conversations or just more arguments about screen time is now up to parents.

Android Central's Take

I appreciate being able to see if a kid is using Meta AI for homework help or getting lost in odd topics, but this move feels like Meta is shifting its moral responsibility to parents. These safeguards are convenient, but a "top 10 topics" list is hardly groundbreaking transparency. It feels like Meta is giving parents control only after things have already gone wrong.

What you need to know

• DIRECTV has launched its app on Meta Quest, bringing live TV streaming to VR headsets for the first time.
• The app offers access to 150+ live channels, on-demand content, and free streaming via the MyFree service.
• Users can also subscribe to paid packages for sports, movies, and other content directly within VR.
• The app is available on Quest 2, 3, 3S, and Pro through the Meta Horizon Store.

If you're someone who prefers watching TV shows and movies on a VR headset and also wants access to live TV, you just got lucky, as DIRECTV has officially launched its app for the Meta Quest platform.

DIRECTV announced that its app is now available on Meta Quest VR headsets. You can download it through the Meta Horizon Store or Horizon TV on Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest 3S, and Quest Pro. The company claims it's the first virtual multichannel video programming distributor to bring its service to Meta Quest.

With DIRECTV on Meta Quest, you get access to over 150 live channels along with on-demand shows and movies directly in VR. This includes channels like ABC News Live, NBC News Now, Fox Weather, and even dedicated live sports channels. The company also says a lot of this content can be streamed for free through its MyFree offering for registered users.

In addition to the free content, DIRECTV also offers paid packages for sports and other programming. The company says its existing channel bundles carry over to VR as well, so you can choose specific packages based on your interests, whether that's sports, movies, or lifestyle content, or go with broader bundles.

DIRECTV isn't the first app to arrive on Meta Quest. Apps like Disney Plus and Prime Video are already available on the platform, but DIRECTV is the first live TV streaming service to make the jump to VR. It is, however, worth noting that Netflix is still missing from the Meta Quest platform.

This also comes at a time when Meta has increased the prices of the Quest 3 and Quest 3S in the U.S. due to component costs. The Quest 3S now starts at $350, while the Quest 3 has gone up to $600.

Android Central's Take

This is good news for Meta Quest users, although I'm not entirely sure how big the demand for live TV in VR really is. That said, watching live sports in VR feels like a different experience, and it's nice to see more users will be able to enjoy it now.

What you need to know

• The NBA Playoffs are in full swing, and Threads is slowly rolling out Live Chats for its NBA Community.
• In Live Chats, users can join and chat amongst other NBA fans, posting messages, photos, videos, and more.
• This feature is rolling out to a small number of creators first, but Meta says it's planning several more features, like co-hosting, for the future.

Getting together to watch the game gets a whole lot easier this week on Threads for basketball lovers.

Today (Apr 22), Meta announced that Threads will soon roll out Live Chats, a dynamic version of your standard group chat for "real-time conversations around cultural moments as they're happening." Joining Live Chats is a convenient (and bold) red ring around the user's profile icon, so everyone knows they're live. To get Live Chats going, Threads says this feature is rolling out first for NBAThreads Community creators throughout the playoffs and the Finals.

Meta adds that Live Chats for the NBA post-season will be present at the top of its Community Feed and in linked shared posts in your normal feed. Once you've joined a chat, users can send messages (photos, videos, links) and send emoji reactions. Live Chats are open to the public; however, if it's "full," Meta says "you can still watch the conversation, react to messages, and vote in polls."

This feature is rolling out to a select group of NBA content creators on Threads to start. These creators can schedule a Live Chat ahead of time, while also having the option to set how long it will remain open. If the NBA is hosting a Live Chat, it might schedule it to start at 7 pm ET and run for about three hours, which is typically the length of a game. Live Chats can be shared on Threads or Instagram Reels for publicity.

This is reportedly the beginning of what Threads envisions for Live Chats. Co-hosting, play-by-plays, a lock screen widget, and the "ability to quote and share chat messages on your Threads feed" are all under development. Live Chats for the NBA Community in time for the NBA Playoffs and Finals are rolling out slowly.

As a teaser, Threads highlights community members, such as Malika Andrews, Rachel Nichols, Trysta Krick, David Rushing, and Lexis Mickens, as notable members who will be hosting Live Chats for the NBA.

Hit the court

Threads has been relatively quiet as of late, but a major update rolled out in February, giving users control over their feeds. This control offers more, as users find access to "Dear Algo." This lets you personalize your app's algorithm for a select number of days (up to three). If there is something you'd rather see less or more of, Dear Algo is there to help you change things up for a while.

An extensive menu lets users see their active Dear Algo requests, alongside some that have expired. What's more, your algorithm requests can be shared, so others who might want to see more of what you're seeing can do that.

The ongoing RAM shortage continues to be a major issue for manufacturers, and it's now affecting two of our favorite VR headsets. Starting this Sunday, April 19th, the prices of both the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S will increase by $100 and $50, respectively, so if you want to grab the headsets before the hike, now is your last chance to do so.

According to a blog post from Meta, the "global surge in the price of critical components — specifically memory chips — is impacting almost every category of consumer electronics, including VR", which means the price of the VR hardware is set to be affected in the following way:

• Meta Quest 3 512GB: was $499 now $599 (starting April 19)
• Meta Quest 3S 128GB: was $299 now $349.99 (starting April 19)
• Meta Quest 3S 256GB: was $399 now $449.99 (starting April 19)

The price hike will also affect refurbished units selling through Meta's store. It's definitely unfortunate, but the good news is that you still have a few days to grab your Meta Quest headset before it gets hit with the price increase.

Not sure which Meta Quest headset is right for you? Check out our Meta Quest 3 vs Quest 3S guide, where we break down all of the pros and cons of each model.

What you need to know

• Meta is reportedly testing 49 chat themes for WhatsApp Web, bringing long-overdue customization to the desktop experience.
• In addition to wallpapers, the themes could change message bubble colors for a more cohesive look.
• Custom themes might be local only, so your design choices won’t be visible to others.

WhatsApp Web has always appeared like the neglected sibling in the WhatsApp family. While the mobile app traditionally gets all the exciting updates, the desktop version has often received the cold shoulder, offering only the default light or dark theme. But that might be about to change.

According to WABetaInfo, Meta is testing a new look for WhatsApp's web client that will add 49 different chat themes.

The web version of WhatsApp has always been a simple extension of your phone, not a full-featured app on its own. Because of this setup, major interface changes were often skipped, so that syncing messages and keeping things stable remained the main priorities.

Themes change both wallpaper and message bubbles

However, WABetaInfo's report suggests that Meta is working on adding more advanced theme options to the messaging app's web client. These new themes do more than just change the background; they also update the color of your message bubbles to match the overall look.

If you like to organize things by color, this update is for you. There are almost 50 options, from soft pastels to bold, bright colors. Keep in mind, these changes only affect your own screen. So if you turn your chat window into Persian Plum, your friends or colleagues won’t see it. Your design choices stay private.

There’s no official release date yet, and the feature hasn’t appeared in beta versions so far. Still, keep an eye on the Settings menu under Theme in the next few weeks.

Android Central's Take

It’s funny that it took Meta 10 years to realize we might want more than two colors, but at least the company is finally doing it, if at all. Even though 49 colors look good on paper, it feels like a distraction from the real issues, like how the web client still has trouble loading old messages. Although I can now look at a "Sunset" theme while waiting half a minute for a tiny PDF to sync, it’s still like dressing up a platform that still has basic problems.

What you need to know

• Instagram announces that it's rolling out an edit button for comments on social media posts late this week.
• Users will find the button right beneath their comment, giving users 15 minutes to return for any changes before it's permanent.
• Instagram rolled out editable DMs two years ago, which works the same as it does for comments.

Instagram is heading into the weekend with an update that might help you dodge awkward stares in the replies.

Funnily, Instagram announced via a Threads post that it is rolling out an edit button for comments made on the platform (via The Verge). The thread continues, stating users can edit their Instagram comments within 15 minutes of posting. The Verge hops in, providing a screenshot of this feature. After posting your reply, users will see an "Edit" option beneath their comment.

This will resurface your keyboard, as well as what you've written, with a noticeable "editing comment" banner above the text field. All you need to do after is hit the check mark, and your edited comment will go up, and no one will be the wiser. The publication got to talk with Nicole Rechtszaid, a spokesperson from Meta, about the new edit button. Rechtszaid informed them that the comments you've altered will feature an "Edited" label in gray beside the content.

The publication did some testing, and it seems that Instagram's edit button is slowly starting to appear. These tests were reportedly conducted with an iPhone, so it may be wise to check with your Android over the weekend to see if it's arrived.

Make no mistake (since you can edit it)

This is one of those features that might catch your attention, but it's funnily arriving two years after DMs got the same treatment. Editing your DMs was a major highlight in a "fun" update Meta announced for Instagram. After sending a message, users can long-press their text and tap "Edit." The platform has kept the functionality roughly the same. Users have 15 minutes to edit a DM after sending, just like they do for comments on social media posts.

Most recently, there have been rumors that Instagram might shake up its main page. The platform might shift into a Reels-first mindset, moving the main scrollable feed of text/image posts to the side. Instagram started a test for this very thing late last year, as its head, Adam Mosseri, announced to users in India. According to Mosseri, Reels and DMs drive the most engagement for Instagram, so it's trying to push those as much as it can.

Android Central's Take

Could you imagine if we were all stuck with typewriters again? The anxiety levels for writing anything would be insane. Luckily, we don't have to worry about that (right?), as Instagram gives us some breathing room with editable comments. It's a good addition, and something that's been sweeping across a bunch of apps over the years. It's a small QoL life update that's gained some positive traction on Threads following the announcement.

What you need to know

• Meta AI grabs a new LLM this week, as the company announces Muse Spark, a model capable of pushing its software into a "people first" mentality.
• Meta says Muse Spark can leverage multiple agents to tackle tasks with accuracy and speed.
• Meta AI, powered by Muse Spark, is rolling out to U.S. users with Instant and Thinking modes in the app; however, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and its AI glasses will have to wait a little bit.

Meta introduced what's coming up next for its AI, and it looks like the company is more interested in "prioritizing" people with this one.

Meta AI has been plugged into the company's apps for a few years now, but its announcement this week says it's getting a "people first" update. Cue Muse Spark, Meta's newest LLM (large language model) from Superintelligence Labs. At its core, Muse Spark is said to be more personal for the user, while also being "small and fast by design, yet capable enough to reason through complex questions."

Meta sees a couple of key applications for Muse Spark. The LLM is multimodal, as its post says, enabling the AI to "create fun minigames" or provide assistance when "troubleshooting your home appliances." More than that, Meta foresees Muse Spark as a key assistance for users trying to learn about their health. The company states it has collaborated with over 1,000 physicians to provide curated training data for the AI.

Muse Spark's involvement in Meta AI helps the software "see and understand" what you're doing. Users can snap a photo and submit it to the AI for help. This is a familiar feature for Meta AI that's likely getting enhanced, thanks to its upgraded multimodal capabilities. The AI is also able to understand a product you've scanned and compare it to others to find alternatives. Muse Spark is also granting the Meta AI app new modes, such as Shopping.

When used, Meta says the AI will sift through trending styles and inspiration shared across its apps to help.

Additionally, Muse Sparks enables Meta AI to launch "multiple subagents" for your questions. In the interest of being "personal," Meta AI can "draft" your trip's plans, compare different cities, and locate activities for kids.

Speedy, smart help

Meta says its Superintelligence Labs built its AI stack from scratch, and that Muse Spark is now powering the Meta AI app and meta.ai. The Meta AI app's new capabilities, courtesy of Muse Spark, are rolling out now in the U.S. with Instant and Thinking modes. However, Meta plans to bring these upgrades to Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and its AI glasses "in the coming weeks."

Meta AI started its big app takeover in 2024, when the company was busy launching its Llama 3 LLM. Faster image generation was cited, among other AI-related upgrades for Meta AI, but none quite so people-forward as what's been discussed for Muse Spark. A few months later, Meta Connect debuted the AI's ability to "see" your photos. This is similar to what Muse Spark can do. When it first debuted, Meta AI could take your photo and remove its background, per the user's request, and more.

Android Central's Take

It's hard not to see the Gemini vibes Muse Spark is giving Meta AI. It's a little different, though, as Meta wants to lean on content shared via content creators and others in its apps to help with fashion. More than that, it kind of turns into a octopus, leveraging its subagents to tackle a complex task from the user. The company even credits Muse Spark's ability to "multi-agent" thinking for "superior performance with comparable latency." Speed is truly the name of the game for Meta, as it looks to create an AI that people can lean on first.

What you need to know

• Meta's smart glasses finally address a major flaw: they now support prescription lenses out of the box.
• The Ray-Ban Meta Blayzer Optics and Scriber Optics' frames (hinges, nose pads, temple tips) have been redesigned to properly handle thicker prescription lenses.
• Pricing starts at $499, with pre-orders live and retail availability set for April 14.

The first few generations of smart glasses had a pretty glaring blind spot: they assumed everyone had perfect vision. If you needed prescription lenses, you either had to squint through the device or pay extra to have an optician fit lenses into frames that weren’t made for them.

Meta has finally addressed this. Today, the company introduced its first AI glasses designed specifically for people who wear prescriptions. The Ray-Ban Meta Blayzer Optics and Scriber Optics start at $499, with pre-orders open now. They’ll be available in stores and at optical retailers on April 14.

Meta didn’t just add prescription support as an afterthought: it redesigned the frames to fit them. The glasses have overextension hinges for thicker lenses, interchangeable nose pads, and adjustable temple tips.

There are two new styles: the rectangular Blayzer, which comes in Standard and Large, and the rounded Scriber. Color options include matte black, transparent dark olive, and seasonal shades like ice grey and stone beige.

The software might matter more than the frames

What’s more interesting is that Meta is adding hands-free nutrition tracking. You can speak a command or take a quick photo of your meal, and Meta AI will pull out the nutrition details, log them in the app, and eventually give you personalized advice, like, “What should I eat to increase my energy?”

This feature is for users 18 and older in the U.S., and it really only works if you wear the glasses all the time.

Meta is also introducing on-device WhatsApp summaries. You can say, “Hey Meta, catch me up on my messages,” and get a quick summary of your group chats. You can also ask for details, like, “What did Jamie suggest for dinner?”

All of this is processed on the glasses and remains end-to-end encrypted. This is Meta’s answer to people who worry about having a camera and microphone on their face.

Meta is also expanding neural handwriting to iMessage, so you can write a reply with your finger on any surface and send it quietly. It's adding display recording, which captures both what’s on your lens display and your point-of-view video. Pedestrian navigation will be available in every U.S. city starting in May.

Meta says it has already sold millions of these glasses, with sales more than tripling each year. Those buyers were mostly early adopters.

Now, prescription support could attract billions of people who wear glasses daily. The company is offering more choices, like new Oakley Meta lenses — including Prizm Transitions for the Vanguard — seasonal colors for the Ray-Ban Gen 2 lineup, and live translation in 20 languages coming this summer.

What you need to know

• WhatsApp finally brings multi-account support to iPhone, just like on Android.
• New storage tools let you delete large files inside chats without wiping your conversations.
• Cross-platform transfer now works both ways, making iPhone-to-Android switching painless.

In the past, switching between WhatsApp accounts on iOS meant you had to use two phones or keep logging in and out. That’s no longer the case. WhatsApp is now adding support for multiple accounts on iPhone, just like Android has had for some time. You can now use both your work and personal accounts on one device, and your profile picture in the bottom tab will show you which account you’re using.

But that’s just part of a bigger update rolling out now. WhatsApp is also addressing storage issues directly and making it much easier to switch phones.

If you’ve ever deleted an entire chat just to free up space, you know how frustrating that can be. WhatsApp’s new storage management tool lets you find and delete large files right inside any chat. Tap the chat name, choose Manage Storage, and you’ll see which videos or high-res images are taking up space, all without losing your conversation history. You can also remove just the media files when cleaning up a chat.

Cross-platform chat transfer is finally two-way

In 2022, WhatsApp allowed Android users to move their chat history to iPhone. Now you can do the opposite. The chat transfer feature lets you move your entire conversation history, photos, and videos from iOS to Android with just a few taps. You don’t need third-party tools or cloud exports that might fail.

WhatsApp is also adding some small but useful features. Now, when you type emojis, you’ll see sticker suggestions. Just tap once to swap a smiley for a sticker that fits your mood.

Meta AI now lets you edit photos before sending them. You can remove distractions, change backgrounds, or add styles.

And if you’re not sure how to reply to a message, Writing Help can suggest a response based on your chat history. WhatsApp says all of this stays private within your chat.

Not everyone will get Meta AI features right away since the rollout is gradual. However, multiple accounts, storage management, and cross-platform transfers will be available to all users soon.

Android Central's Take

It’s good that WhatsApp is finally adding features that Android users have had for years, but this isn’t anything new. Meta is just catching up and doing what’s needed to stop people from switching to Telegram or Signal, which already offered most of these features long ago.

The AI photo edits and writing help are interesting, but they seem like extra features meant to distract from the fact that WhatsApp still doesn’t have basics like proper iPad support or a good desktop app. So, enjoy the storage cleanup and being able to get rid of your second phone. But there’s no denying that Meta is only adding these features because users kept asking for them.

What you need to know

• A Los Angeles court jury has reached its final verdict, stating that it finds Meta and YouTube guilty of being "negligent" in the addictive nature of their social media apps.
• Kaley, otherwise referred to as K.G.M., claimed that she had become extremely addicted to YouTube and Instagram from a young age, which led to severe mental health problems.
• K.G.M. was awarded $3 million in damages, of which Meta will handle 70%.

A verdict has reportedly been reached in the trial of social media addiction that put Meta and YouTube in the spotlight.

This afternoon (Mar 25), it was reported that Meta and YouTube had "failed" to warn users, especially younger users, about the potential dangers of excessively using social media. CNBC reiterates that the trial concerned Kaley (or K.G.M.), a young woman who took these two companies (among others) to court. The plaintiff, now 20 years of age, said that she had become "addicted" to social media since she was a child. K.G.M. added that, due to her usage of such apps, her mental health declined, resulting in "mental health-related harms," per CNBC.

Mental health issues highlighted during the trial included "severe body dysmorphia, depression, and suicidal thoughts." As addressed by APNews, K.G.M. argued that the "infinite scrolling" mechanic present in many social media apps was a part of its addictive nature. What's more, the constant, steady flow of notifications didn't help anything.

At one point, it was mentioned during the trial that K.G.M. had started her usage of YouTube at the age of six before joining Instagram at nine. She would reportedly remain on these apps "all day long." In their defense, Meta used her therapists in saying that none of them cited social media as "the cause" for her mental health issues. Additionally, YouTube declined its categorization as a social media app, adding that K.G.M's time on the platform rapidly declined as she aged.

Regardless, the jury found both Meta and YouTube guilty of negligence, awarding K.G.M. $3 million in damages. It has been stated that Meta is to handle 70% of this cost, leaving YouTube to take care of the rest. APNews mentions that the plaintiff also sought TikTok and Snap; however, those two settled before this ever reached the courtroom, leaving Meta and YouTube.

Is there an issue here?

While a verdict has been reached, Meta delivered a statement shortly after, stating, "We respectfully disagree with the verdict and are evaluating our legal options."

We've seen similar arguments held overseas in Australia during its social media ban. Back on December 10, Google informed Australian users that it would begin logging anyone out who was not 16 years or older. Australia's social media ban no longer excluded YouTube, so the company had no other choice but to comply. Google's counterargument stated that a ban such as this wouldn't help the problem.

Instead, it encouraged parents to look toward the available selection of parental controls to place limits on their children. One question was asked by Android Central's Jerry Hildenbrand: "Can YouTube be 'bad' for kids?" The argument by Jerry was made that, yes, it can be, but what that means will differ from parent to parent.

Android Central's Take

A trial like this is an interesting one. I'm no one would disagree that, yeah, there are dangers with anything on the internet. You can stumble across drugs or more nefarious—potentially harmful—content. Of course, it's the internet. But where I diverge, and where I agree with Jerry, is who should take responsibility: the parents. In this case, much like any other, the parent is responsible for what their child views, uses, and interacts with. I grew up in a time when such limitations were given to me, since I was always interested in computers and phones. Sure, maybe there should be a big red warning. "Hey! This could be a problem if you use it too much." Aside from that, it is the parents' job by default to do what their title entails: parent.

What you need to know

• Instagram's updated Help Center page about its end-to-end encryption states the platform's chats will lose its strong privacy protections.
• Instagram states its E2EE will depart on May 8, 2026, meaning user chat privacy will be much more open to prying eyes.
• The platform has continued to implement protections for younger users, such as stronger AI for detecting Teen Accounts.

Instagram just confirmed that it is preparing to depart from its end-to-end encryption measures on the platform.

The surprising change was detailed today (Mar 13) in an Instagram Help Center post, as noted by PiunikaWeb. In an updated addition to its "What is end-to-end encryption on Instagram" page, the platform announces that this privacy protection measure will soon vanish for users. Instagram says E2EE is set to disappear on May 8, 2026. This is in regard to E2EE for messages, meaning all user DMs will lose this useful (and valuable) privacy feature moving forward.

While this announcement is sudden, Instagram offers users a way to download their chats that "may be affected." It says, "you will see instructions on how you can download any media or messages you may want to keep." Additionally, if you're not seeing this option, you may have to update your app to the latest version.

As you might expect, users aren't too happy about this. PiunikaWeb clocked posts on Reddit and other social media platforms where users are expressing their concern, as well as their disbelief. Instagram—or, more specifically, Meta—hasn't offered more details about this change. However, the publication assumes this could be due to changing laws overseas in Europe, where they have been putting pressure on certain platforms to review reported DMs.

Authorities are concerned about weeding out illegal materials.

Changes inbound

If we're to follow this speculation on keeping younger users safe, Instagram rolled out its AI late last year to detect teen accounts. If the AI deemed an account was being used by a teenager, then it would turn that into a proper Teen Account with the appropriate restrictions. The AI was said to even flag accounts used by teenagers with fake birthdays. With a Teen Account, the features available are reigned in. The user wouldn't be available to be contacted by just anyone, and the content available would also veer toward the more acceptable.

We have two months before this actually arrives on Instagram, so there's a chance Meta will come forward with a statement. Elsewhere, Instagram Reels for TV made its way onto Google TV after a brief stint on Amazon's Fire TV.

What you need to know

• Meta announced two games are headed for its Ray-Ban Displays: GOAT and 2048.
• As the first games to hit the product, Meta states users can control them "without controllers," as they completely lean on the EMG band and gestures.
• The EMG Neural Band reads the user's muscle and hand movements in order to complete actions on the smart glasses.

Meta announced a major development for its Ray-Ban Display that'll bring a little more stress relief to your day: games.

A post by Dilmer on X (developer advocate at Meta) announced the arrival of two games on the Ray-Ban Display that users will notice soon. These are the first games to hit the Ray-Ban smartglasses, which bring a colorful, thought-provoking experience to users in a way that feels like it's from a sci-fi story. Ray-Bans are receiving GOAT and 2048 as the first two games that users can play.

GOAT is all about a cute little animal in a colorful world that requires the user to jump up through levels on a series of floating (and moving) platforms. For 2048, users need to combine blocks of numbers until they hit that coveted number. Dilmer also states these games require "no controllers" and offer "no friction."

In short, what you'll be using is the Ray-Ban's EMG and gestures to move around in these two games. The short video Dilmer posted on X shows the user with the wristwrap on, flicking their thumb left and right to help the GOAT jump on the platforms and swipe through blocks.

How to get started with this wasn't stated by Dilmer at the time. Someone asked about it, but there wasn't a concrete answer; however, one user says, "All you need to do is update your glasses." We'll keep an eye on this, as well.

Smart gaming

The EMG here is (arguably) the main highlight with these two games for the Ray-Ban Display. Officially, Meta calls this the EMG Meta Neural Band. When it debuted alongside the glasses last November, it was announced with an 18-hour battery life and an IPX7 water rating. The EMG band works by detecting your muscle movements and hand gestures. Pair that with playing a game, and you've got a pretty sci-fi, almost "magical" experience of controlling your on-screen character.

Consumers are pretty used to experiencing games via Meta's Quest series—but that's a VR headset. Gaming is what you're getting into, alongside videos, streaming, and other little things. Now, Meta is bringing games to its lightweight smart products.

What you need to know

• Instagram is reportedly launching another test overseas that brings a "Your Feed" tab to the UI.
• This feed is all about endlessly scrolling Reels, as users can pin and customize which feeds to swipe through at a moment's notice.
• Instagram first started down this Reels-first approach in October, stating that the short-form content and DMs drive the most growth.

Rumors are surfacing on social media that claim Instagram is working on upgrading more than its Home tab with a new customizable feed.

User Howfxr on X (thanks to ParthChandel50) highlights Instagram's supposed development of a "Your Feed" feature for Instagram (via 9to5Google). The post alleges that Instagram could shift its bottom UI slightly, switching the Reels and DM tabs around. The main Reels icon will also change to an icon that (kind of) resembles two phones. This is "Your Feed," which may greet users with "Following," "Friends," "Latest," and "Saved."

This is an endless-scrolling feature, where users can hop into Reels and stay for as long as they desire. However, the tipster likens what Instagram is allegedly testing to the pinned feeds that X (formerly Twitter) rolled out ages ago. "Your Feed" is customizable, with the X post stating users could find "Favorite list posts," "Suggested" (based on activity), and a "post-only feed" from followed accounts (no Reels) in conjunction with those mentioned previously.

The rumor suggests that this customization will be straightforward, as users can edit "Your Feed," swapping the order in which the feeds appear at the top, as well as options to add others or remove current ones.

The post states that this test is supposedly ongoing for a limited number of users in India.

Instagram's going all in on Reels

In October, Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, introduced users to the beginning of a test in which the app would display Reels right off the bat. Similar to what's been alleged for "Your Feed," Mosseri said that the Reels-first test was starting in India, and that users would see its short-form content first thing on the Home tab. Mosseri added that Reels and DMs drive "the most growth" on the platform. This test in October was to see how well users accepted the changes.

This was the second most interesting test for Reels last year, as the first was for password-locked content. Secret codes and hints were the name of the game for this test, as content creators could hide their coolest reveals behind them.

Android Central's Take

I once asked, "Remember when Instagram was all about great photos?" That was a few years back when the app tried a change to its home feed that users didn't like. One of those changes involved looping in more videos. Maybe times have changed? Perhaps people are opening up to short-form content more often, as we've gotten more Reels, there's YouTube Shorts, and, of course, there's TikTok. It's good that Instagram isn't getting away from its simple posts, but it's clearly striving to shove as many Reels at us as humanly (digitally?) possible. Good or bad? I don't really know yet.

What you need to know

• Meta sold over 7 million Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2025, tripling its 2023 and 2024 sales combined.
• EssilorLuxottica confirmed strong growth driven by new Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses models.
• Smart glasses are gaining momentum as Samsung, Google, and others prepare to enter the space.

According to a new report, Meta sold more than 7 million Ray-Ban co-branded smart glasses in 2025, which is more than triple what it sold in 2023 and 2024 combined.

Smart glasses are quickly becoming the next big thing, with nearly every major brand looking to enter the space. Lenovo showcased its smart glasses concept at CES 2026, while Samsung has announced plans to launch its own pair in 2026.

Meta, however, entered the market back in 2021 with Ray-Ban Stories, and it now appears that the bet is paying off. The company reportedly posted its highest-ever revenue from smart glasses in 2025.

EssilorLuxottica recently shared its Q4 2025 financial results, revealing that it sold over seven million smart glasses in 2025 (via Road to VR). The growth follows Meta's launch of multiple Ray-Ban smart glasses last year, including the Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2 and the $800 Meta Ray-Ban Display model.

The eyewear giant, in partnership with Meta, now sells Ray-Ban-branded smart glasses as well as Oakley-branded models, which may have contributed to the strong growth.

We still don't know Meta's plans for 2026, but this year looks set to be significant for the smart glasses category overall. Several brands have already introduced their own products, while Google and Samsung are expected to join the market soon.

It'll be interesting to see how Meta's sales are affected once Android XR glasses go mainstream, especially if they offer more advanced features than the current Ray-Ban models.

Android Central's Take

Meta's early push into smart glasses appears to be paying off. These devices offer a convenient way to access AI tools through voice input and audio output, while also letting users take calls and capture photos hands-free. That said, for me, privacy concerns around wearing camera-equipped smart glasses will remain forever, as even the U.S. Air Force has pointed out.

What you need to know

• Threads announced "Dear Algo," a feature that lets users control what pops up on their feed for "three days."
• These Dear Algo requests bring personalization to Threads for people who make a request, and requests can be shared amongst everyone.
• Dear Algo is starting to roll out for users in the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

If your Threads feed is looking, or rather, not looking how you want it, the platform is announcing a new way for you to take control.

In a press release, Threads announced that it's rolling out "Dear Algo" this week for users on the platform. This feature is powered by the platform's AI and will give users the power to control "what you see by letting you tell Threads what’s important to you in the moment." A simple example would be March Madness (it's coming up, you know?). If you're interested in keeping up on everything NCAA basketball, a user could say, "Dear Algo, show me more March Madness action."

The post clarifies that users must make a public "Dear Algo" Threads post. Much like the given example, you can follow this up with what you'd like to see more or less of on your feed.

Once you've shared what you want to see (or don't), Threads says Dear Algo will follow your request for the next "three days." Moreover, there's a sense of community here, as users can take someone else's Dear Algo request for their feed, too.

Additionally, users can view their active Dear Algo requests in the app. From here, users can quickly deactivate them and view requests that have previously expired.

Dear Algo is rolling out today (Feb 11) for Threads users in the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The platform says it plans to bring this feature to more places "soon," but there's nothing set in stone for now.

Morphing the algorithm

In its post, Threads says Dear Algo is designed to help users create an app experience that's more personal to them. It lets users take control of their feed's algorithm, which is something Meta also did with Instagram.

In December, Instagram users were treated to "Your Algorithm," a feature that lets users "see and control" what the app's AI thinks they want to see. This update only applied to Reels content, but Instagram plans to extend Your Algorithm to Search and the main Home feed. Users can check out their algorithm by tapping the hearts icon at the top right when watching a Reel.

From there, users can tell the AI exactly what they want and what they don't.

Android Central's Take

After Instagram, we're now getting a similar update for Threads. I enjoy things like this; bringing customization into social media. At times, I've had instances where there are hobbies or what have you that would appear that's made me go, "why am I seeing this?" With this, we can now directly influence what we see, even if it only lasts for a few days, which is probably my only issue. It would be nice if, perhaps, we could state how long we'd like the algorithm to adhere to this. I suppose, for now, this is a good start.

What you need to know

• Meta reported record quarterly and annual revenue, topping $59.89 billion in Q4 2025 and $200.97 billion for the full year, representing 22% Q4 and 24% YoY growth.
• Meta's family of apps was used by 3.58 billion people on average daily in December, an increase of 7% year-over-year.
• Reality Labs posted one of its biggest quarters ever, driven by strong sales of Meta Quest 3S and Meta AI glasses.

Once again, Meta is reporting record revenue for its "Family of Apps," which includes Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, with ad spending increasing 6% in the fourth quarter and 9% year-over-year in 2025.

Meanwhile, the company's Reality Labs division generated nearly $1 billion in Q4 2025 and $2.27 billion for the year, showing a slight decrease in Q4 revenue but more revenue overall in 2025. The company notes that strong sales of the Meta Quest 3S and AI glasses like Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) were responsible for the increase.

Much of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's statement during the earnings call highlighted the company's big AI push and how Meta will be utilizing Reality Labs in 2026. He noted that, in 2026, "new agentic shopping tools (from Meta) will help people find just the right, very specific set of products."

Zuckerberg also highlighted the success of AI glasses. "We think our glasses are some of the fastest-growing consumer electronics in history." Meta is expected to double or triple smart glasses production in 2026 to capitalize on its success and ensure it remains the market leader, even as we expect Google and Samsung to make big pushes into the market.

As a result, Zuckerberg noted that Reality Labs is directing its investments toward smart glasses and wearables "while focusing on making Horizon a massive success on mobile going forward, and making VR a profitable ecosystem over the coming years."

Meta laid off 10% of its Reality Labs workforce last week, including most of its in-house game development studios, with the company's CTO explaining that it isn't done with VR by any means; it's just shifting its strategy.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Meta noted that Reality Labs' "losses" in 2026 will remain at 2025 levels. The company will continue to invest in AI infrastructure, estimating it will spend between $162 and $169 billion on infrastructure and development in 2026.

Android Central's Take

Turns out, VR wasn't the reason Meta's Reality Labs division spent so much money every quarter. Investors and VR naysayers have highlighted that Meta is "wasting billions on the Metaverse" since 2020, but after making substantial cuts to the company's VR strategy at the end of Q4 2025, Meta says Reality Labs spending will still hover around $20 billion in 2026.

What Meta is spending all this money on is anyone's best guess. R&D isn't cheap, to be sure, and maintaining funding and infrastructure for an entire gaming ecosystem with millions of gamers is also pricey, but the company has always been secretive about exactly what it spends this money on and how efficient Reality Labs is. If anything, these moves and comments make Reality Labs even murkier than it already is.

With the massive cuts made to Meta's VR studios in mid-January, the company eroded any goodwill it had left among many outspoken game developers and consumers. Given that these changes aren't even moving the needle on Reality Labs' spending, it makes us wonder how wise it was for Meta to pull back so harshly and suddenly.

Meta is single-handedly making smart glasses mainstream thanks to its partnership with EssilorLuxottica, the eyeglasses maker that owns the Ray-Ban and Oakley brands, among others. However, competing smart glasses brand Solos is now suing both Meta and EssilorLuxottica, alleging the two companies willfully violated multiple Solos patents.

Solos says these patents span "core technologies in the field of smart eyewear," including, but not limited to, integrated system architectures, multimodal sensing, beamforming, and audio processing. The company's court filing alleges that it "secured patent protection for these innovations years before [Meta and its co-defendants] began developing their smart-glasses programs." Notably, Solos is asking for damages "in the multiple billions of dollars" as a result of the alleged patent infringement.

The lawsuit was filed Friday, Jan. 23 in Massachusetts federal court. The filing claims Meta employees "studied Solos’ products, cited Solos’ patents, interacted with inventors, and gained insight into Solos’ engineering work" prior to making its own smart glasses available for purchase in 2021.

Separately, Solos claims Oakley staffers saw Solos' technology in 2015. Around January 2019, a pair of Solos smart glasses was sent to an Oakley former senior executive at their request "for evaluation purposes." Over time, the Oakley executive "gained familiarity with Solos' integrated eyewear architecture and open-ear audio approach." The lawsuit lists Meta, the U.S. business of EssilorLuxottica, and its Oakley subsidiary.

Solos' patent infringement case specifically refers to the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Gen 1 smart glasses. Additionally, since Meta's other smart glasses "derivative of the Gen 1 platform," the filing alleges "ongoing and continuous infringement. Finally, Solos is asking for a court injunction preventing further patent infringement, which could affect Meta smart glasses sales — if granted.

Android Central reached out to Meta and EssilorLuxottica for comment regarding the lawsuit (Solos Technology v. Meta Platforms, 26-cv-10304), but did not immediately hear back in time for publication. We will update this article if we receive a response. A spokesperson for Solos told Reuters the complaint "speaks for itself."

Solos' lineup of AirGo smart glasses feature open-air speakers, artificial intelligence powered by ChatGPT, live translation tools, and an optional camera. Unlike Meta's smart glasses offerings, Solos' are modular. The temples attach to the lens frame with USB-C connectors. In practice, this means users can upgrade the temples or swap out the frame style without needing to buy an entirely new pair of glasses.

This filing is the latest in a string of lawsuits surrounding smart glasses manufacturers. Earlier this month, Xreal sued Viture in the U.S., following a similar patent lawsuit in Germany a month prior. Xreal says Viture's Pro XR glasses infringe on its patents, and is filing suit ahead of the expected XR glasses boom. The company's filing cited a research firm's claim that the market will grow 6x in the decade. It could become a nearly $700 billion market by 2035.

Solos is making similar lofty claims about Meta's sales prospects in the coming years with its lawsuit. Solos says Meta smart glasses could generate $10 billion in revenue by 2030, based on current projections.

What does this mean for smart glasses fans?

In an emerging market like wearables, patent disputes are not uncommon. Over the last few years, we've seen medical tech company Masimo sue Apple over over blood-oxygen monitoring on the Apple Watch, smart ring company Ultrahuman sue competitor Oura, and workout tracker Strava sue Garmin.

Some of these disputes are solved very quickly with little consumer impact. Strava, for example, voluntarily dropped its suit against Garmin after a three-week spat. Others do affect the consumer market, like the Ultrahuman and Apple Watch sagas, which both included U.S. sales bans for certain products — at least temporarily. Ultrahuman's smart rings currently cannot be sold in the U.S.

Solos is asking for a similar outcome — it is seeking an injunction that would prevent Meta from selling the allegedly infringing products. That doesn't mean the court will grant it, however. For now, Solos and Meta smart glasses will continue to be sold and operate as normal. This case will certainly have an impact on the future of the growing smart glasses market, as Solos is making strong claims about the current market leader's products.

Threads just keeps growing. Meta's text-first social media platform, which emerged as X (formerly Twitter) quickly fell into chaos under Elon Musk, hit a new milestone this month. Threads now has more global daily active users on iOS and Android than X as of early January 2026. As the mobile platform grows, making sure you — and your friends and family — are not accidentally sharing content to Threads from Facebook and Instagram becomes crucial.

These growth figures from Similarweb reveal that Threads had 141.5 million daily active users on mobile as of Jan. 7, 2026, while X had only 125 million (via TechCrunch). Meta's official numbers are even grander. Adam Mosseri, the company's head of Instagram, announced in August 2025 that Threads had over 400 million monthly active users.

What's driving on this growth? Surely, Meta's willingness to try new things and roll out new features plays a role. Threads allows users to create longer posts without a subscription, offers communities for certain topics and interests, and comes with precise filters.

Some find the Threads algorithm to be too aggressive and reactive — liking or interacting with a post or two about a trending subject can fill your feed quickly with similar content. However, it's clear that Meta is building a new identity with Threads. It's not just a Twitter clone, that's for sure.

With that being said, I'd bet there's another reason for Threads' successes. The platform works within the Meta ecosystem, and the social giant makes it easy to cross-post content from Facebook and Instagram to Threads. Cross-posting to Threads isn't enabled by default, but it may be too easy to do by accident, especially if the poster isn't tech-savvy. I've seen countless examples of people sharing way too much on Threads, and it's becoming a problem.

How Meta's cross-posting feature works

As of now, your Instagram and Facebook posts shouldn't be sent to Threads automatically. There were issues in the past causing these toggles to be enabled by default, with some users reporting cross-posting re-enabled itself after being turned off, according to a thread started by Mosseri a few years ago. Those problems seem to be behind us, and Instagram and Facebook users will need to manually enable Threads cross-posting to use the tool.

When creating a post on either platform, there's an Also share on... setting that lets users control Threads cross-posting. There are two options: Always share posts and Share this post. They work as expected, with the former option sharing all future posts to Threads and the latter sharing just one. You can change this setting on Instagram or Facebook at any time.

There's a separate toggle available in the More options section of the Instagram or Facebook post builder. Under the Automatic sharing section, you'll find toggles for Threads, Instagram, and Facebook (depending on which one you're using) that manage automatic cross-posting throughout Meta social platforms.

In other words, there are two ways to turn Threads cross-posting on in Instagram or Facebook, and both settings should be disabled by default. After it's manually turned on, though, it may be hard for users to recognize it — or know the consequences — if they're not an active Threads user.

People somehow keep cross-posting by accident

I know that people are posting to Threads via Facebook and Instagram by accident because I've seen it. Complete and unredacted names, addresses, ID badges, forms, and other types of identifying information have appeared regularly on my Threads feed. Pictures of family members, including minors, that were clearly intended for a close friends Facebook group appeared publicly on Threads — and were shared hundreds of times and liked thousands of times thereafter.

Last week, my suspicions were confirmed. At least on one occasion, this Threads poster below revealed that they shared identifying information unknowingly from another Meta platform. I've gone ahead and redacted the info, but you can see this poster shared a doctor's office form with autofill suggestions for patient names on Threads. I replied, and the poster explained they "posted on [Facebook] and [Facebook] goes to Threads."

Of course, we know that's an oversimplification of what's going on here. Meta's cross-posting feature is opt-in. However, all it takes for every Facebook and/or Instagram post to cross-post to Threads is for someone to accidentally hit each of those toggles one time.

People are clearly finding a way, because it's not uncommon to see content that should've been sent in a close friends group appear publicly on Threads. If the person isn't an active user on Threads, they might not even realize they just shared their address, photos, or personal info on a public platform. Deleting content on the platform it was shared using does not delete it from the platforms it was cross-posted to, so users may think they deleted something that is still live on Threads.

What you can do to protect your personal information

Is it possible that accidental cross-posts are boosting Meta's overall Threads userbase numbers? Potentially, though it's certainly not clear. The bigger issue is people mistakenly sharing information that really shouldn't be posted on the internet under the guise of "close friends" privacy.

To be clear, this is not Meta's fault. I do think it's too easy for a post to go from a closed-off group to the entire internet — it only takes a few taps — but users do have to enable cross-posting manually.

Still, this should be a public service announcement, especially for older crowds and those that might not be as tech literate. It's entirely possible that your friends and family members could be accidentally sharing private content with the Threads platform at large unknowingly.

Educate your friends and family members, regardless of age, that they shouldn't share any personal information online. It might be worth pointing out the Threads cross-posting toggle specifically as a potential mistake to avoid, because I keep seeing people post private information online, and I don't like it.

What you need to know

• Meta could be planning to double smart glasses production due to soaring demand and limited inventory.
• The goal is to boost annual output to nearly 20 million units by year-end.
• Increased supply may reduce shortages and support the international availability of smart glasses.

Meta's new smart glasses seem to be all the rage now, considering that right after they launched last year, they were basically flying off the shelves. So much so that Meta had to delay its original plan to launch Ray-Ban Display glasses internationally, due to "unprecedented demand and limited inventory."

Now we have word that Meta and eyewear partner EssilorLuxottica are discussing massively increase in production of Ray-Ban-branded smart glasses. According to a recent report by Bloomberg, "people familiar with the matter" told the publication that Meta is considering boosting annual production to nearly 20 million units by the end of this year.

This will essentially double their current goal, and there is a high chance that supply could go beyond 30 million if the demand for these smart glasses keeps growing at this rate, the website added. However, neither Meta nor EssilorLuxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban eyewear have confirmed these plans publicly.

Furthermore, the website states that EssilorLuxottica is already close to finishing its current capacity target of 10 million pairs by the end of 2026. Which means it is already putting pressure on the supply and will force the companies to rethink how they're going to meet this exponential demand.

For Meta, it may be less about getting its glasses on to more faces and more about focusing on establishing smart glasses as popular and necessary as smartphones. It recently even slashed several jobs in its Reality Labs division (responsible for AR, VR, AI), cutting roughly 1,500 jobs, which hints at the shift, considering it basically leads the smart glasses market at the moment.

As Bloomberg noted, Meta’s share in the global smart glasses market rose to 73%, which, according to CounterPoint Research, was "driven by strong demand and expanded manufacturing capacity at Luxottica, its key production partner."

On the flip side, doubling output could mean good news for consumers, considering it could also reduce shortages, wait times, and support wider international availability.

Meta made a big splash at CES 2026, announcing new features for the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, an exciting proof-of-concept, and availability updates.

Notably, the company is delaying its original plan to launch Ray-Ban Display glasses internationally on an indefinite basis. The company keeps developing new ways to use the brand's first monocular display glasses, but it also seemingly can't make enough of them.

On the brighter side, Meta is adding two new features to Ray-Ban Display that show off the best of what the glasses and the included Meta Neural Band can do. Teleprompter support and virtual EMG handwriting are both beginning to roll out this week. The company is also working with Garmin on a new proof-of-concept. This time, instead of integrating with your smartwatch, Meta glasses might connect with your car.

These CES announcements both show how much potential there is for Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, and also, just how far away they are from becoming a mainstream hit.

Meta's showing off major new Ray-Ban Display features at CES 2026

To me, the most exciting Meta Ray-Ban Display upgrade is teleprompter support. It's exactly what it sounds like — these display glasses can show a script in the right monocular lens to keep you on track during a speech or event. The idea is that Ray-Ban Display's teleprompter gives public speakers the best of both worlds. They get to maintain direct eye contact with their audience while still enjoying the comfort of notes or a script.

The teleprompter feed appears on the Ray-Ban Display glasses in text-based cards, which kind of resemble notification bubbles. Speakers advance the teleprompter using gestures with the Meta Neural Band. The teleprompter interface also displays the current time and a running timer that shows how long you've been speaking.

At its core, the Meta Ray-Ban Display teleprompter is simple, accepting pasted text from any external source. That could be a Google Doc, a note in Google Keep, or something generated with an AI chatbot. Teleprompter support feels like it could be the "killer feature" for XR display glasses. It's the first tool that makes me think "wow, I need that."

Meta says a phased rollout of this feature will begin this week.

Using the Meta Neural Band, the company is also rolling out EMG handwriting to early access testers starting today. By drawing words with their finger on any surface while wearing the EMG wristband, Meta Ray-Ban Display owners can input text for their glasses. Meta says its Neural Band is the "only wrist device that enables handwriting on any surface."

The feature is limited to writing WhatsApp and Messenger chats for now, and only works in the U.S. with the device language set to English.

Looking ahead, Meta worked with Garmin to create an automotive proof of concept. It bridges Meta Neural Band to the Garmin Unified Cabin, which manages car infotainment systems. In simple terms, Meta is exploring using an EMG wristband to control you car's entertainment screen.

"Once you start using the band regularly, you want it to control more than just your AI glasses. We've already developed prototype experiences for the band to control devices in your home, and it’s been great to team up with Garmin to showcase its potential in your car," said Meta VP of Wearables Alex Himel in a blog post. "We're excited about all the possibilities EMG can unlock as a future input platform over time."

There's "overwhelming" interest in Meta Ray-Ban Display

Crucially, Meta announced that it is delaying original plans to launch Ray-Ban Display in the U.K., France, Italy, and Canada in early 2026. Now, the international expansion is postponed indefinitely. The company cites "extremely limited inventory" and "unprecedented demand" as reason for the pause.

Meta says product waitlists for Ray-Ban Display already extend well into this year for U.S. customers due to "an overwhelming amount of interest." The company noted its focus is on fulfilling U.S. orders for now, and that it is re-evaluating its approach to international availability.

Where does Meta Ray-Ban Display go from here?

My main takeaway is not the so-called "unprecedented demand" for Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses or the international delay itself. Instead, what stands out is Meta's clear focus and commitment to AR glasses technology.

Just a few months after their launch, the company is already upgrading the Ray-Ban Display glasses with groundbreaking features like teleprompter support and EMG handwriting. It also added four new supported cities to the glasses' walking directions mode, with more cities "coming soon." Beyond the features and concepts we've already discussed, Meta is also collaborating with the University of Utah to test accessibility applications for the Meta Neural Band in smart home use cases.

Meta is attacking AR glasses development from all angles, and that's a promising sign. The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses were never meant to be a best-selling commercial success; these monocular display glasses are an early adopter product in every sense. That's why you shouldn't read into the "unprecedented demand," because Meta itself alluded to the fact that there simply aren't that many units available for sale.

The hit Meta display glasses are the next one, which hopefully have screens in both lenses. Based on what I'm seeing so far, Meta is still the one to beat in this segment. Samsung and Google want to change that with Android XR, though.

In 2025, Google, Apple, Samsung, and everyone else who announced new tech products delivered beautifully curated keynotes that told us exactly what they wanted us to hear about the said devices.

I agree that Google went above and beyond this year for its Pixel 10 launch, delivering something that felt less like a Keynote and more like a massive production hosted by Jimmy Fallon. On the opposite end, Meta literally winged it with live demos of their new smart glasses. While the demos didn't go as planned, they stayed fairly realistic, which is what we, as consumers who pay a hefty price for electronics, would appreciate seeing.

If tech companies want launch events to matter in 2026, they need to stop giving us Keynotes that could have been emails or overcomplicating them to the point where we lose interest. Instead, they need to offer more clarity and a better understanding of how an average person seeking to buy a new anything will perceive and use these products.

Here's what I'd love to see change in 2026 — and what's worth keeping.

Give it to me straight — in plain English

Too often, companies end up explaining features the way they'd talk to engineers and not, well, us. We hear about "tokens per second," model sizes, or how "Siri now has a deeper understanding of your personal context."

There's a ton of technical jargon, and not much about how those things show up in the real world. Launch events need to answer questions when explaining a new feature — It comes down to the basics: "Why would I actually need it, when would I use it, and what problem would it solve?"

If I don't understand the practicality of a new feature and how it would help me in the real world, then what's the point of having some elaborate speech about it?

Take Google's Gemini, for instance: instead of telling me it's faster, smarter, and more "multimodal," tell me whether Gemini can look at a photo I took and explain why it looks bad and how to fix it before I share it. Even Samsung and Apple end up using loads of jargon in their Keynotes.

Apple loves to show off those emotionally hitting polished stories — the Apple Watch saving a life, the iPhone shooting a fancy music video (with tons of extra gear, post-production edits, of course). Samsung often bombards viewers with so many features so quickly, with little guidance on which actually matter.

But they skip the messy part: regular people trying to use that same tech and ending up with a terrible photo, bad lighting, or just a picture that looks nothing like the ad. In 2026, I want to see companies balance those magical tales with what these features actually look like for a totally average user. Because great stories definitely make people care, but great explanations push people to buy the product.

Keep consumer launches and developer events separate

Google's I/O and Apple's WWDC keep developer updates separate from their launch events, but they sometimes blur the line between the two. For example, this year's I/O featured major product announcements, including the launch of Android 16, a demonstration of Gemini's multimodal capabilities, and a preview of a prototype of Google's XR glasses.

This mix at an event aimed just for developers is definitely cool. Google's probably trying to get more than just coders interested in I/O, but it's also leaving people confused about whether they should be glued to I/O or just watch the "Made by Google" for consumer-focused announcements. If you ask me, I'd say keep the two separate, don't overcomplicate it. That way, the audience knows what to expect at each event and won't miss anything of interest.

Keep the live demos — even if they fail

Both Google and Meta actually tried live demos in 2025, and sometimes, despite practicing it a zillion times before D-day, they don't go as planned. WiFi dropped, or connectivity lagged, leading to awkward pauses during a live show.

But that necessarily isn't failure. While people pick on these moments to criticize the company, make a ton of memes, they can also work to the company's favor. It showed us the reality that mistakes happen — especially with common issues like connectivity problems, and this to me comes across as more authentic and raw, rather than scripted videos.

It also gives companies a real-world moment to look at what works and what still needs work before a product reaches consumers.

So, for 2026, companies should totally keep the live demos. But they could try to swap out the celebrities for everyday people to make things more relevant for someone watching on their couch at home. You know, parents, students—those who don't care about the techy buzzwords but who will actually be using these cool new devices and features.

And just keep things simple, to the point, showing us how features will help normal people, rather than over-the-top shows with so much going on that people forget about it as soon as the show's over.

2025 has shaped up to be a year of breakthroughs and experimentation for the tech industry; smartphones and wearables don't just look different, but have started to become more user-friendly, thanks to AI. Trifold devices have arrived, ultra-thin designs are on the rise, and smart glasses are gaining popularity.

At the same time, throw in rising prices driven particularly by global tensions, and this year also marked a turning point in consumer tech, giving us a feeling that we are indeed living in the future.

Here are some of the top stories and trends of 2025 that shaped the year.

The foldable glow up: Trifold goes mainstream

While tri-fold devices aren't a new concept, they didn't really catch on, at least not in this part of the world. Huawei's Mate XT was the first to prove that this concept was indeed possible; its limited availability made it more of a distant dream rather than a usable device.

But Samsung may have changed it overnight. The company finally launched the Galaxy Z Trifold on December 1, which is said to bring the power of "the most advanced foldable technologies" right into the palm of your hands.

Essentially, making the form factor more valid and widely available to the broader smartphone market. When Samsung launches a new device, the entire ecosystem follows, from Google optimizing Android for it to carriers that might be willing to subsidize it for consumers. This also means developers will start creating apps compatible with multi-window support on a larger scale. But it doesn't just end there.

Samsung's aim wasn't about adding another screen, but to experiment with whether a trifold could actually be a usable product. While it may not replace traditional slab phones anytime soon, it could double as a tablet and a productivity tool. This kind of shift in thought from "Why would you want this?" to "Who is this actually made for?" is a huge deal. This move by Samsung could push competitors to make their own tri-fold and potentially drive people to consider owning this device.

AI takes center stage as companies shift focus

Google I/O AI Part from r/google

For the past few years, AI has been a buzzword for every major tech company. However, in 2025, we've finally started to see it pulling its weight with models like Gemini 3 Pro, ChatGPT 5.2, Meta's Llama 4, and so on.

Instead of being in the background on many devices so far, generative AI has become a core feature of smartphones, to the point that it has been baked into every aspect of the device. It can literally "see" what you see, help you navigate better, and even let you "try on" clothes while shopping online. From search and photography to productivity tools, AI can even help you create better workflows to manage your day. So much so that we even have an AI Home robot in our midst.

This year wasn't about flashy demos — it was about showing us how AI could work its way into our lives. Companies like Google, Samsung, and OnePlus also redefined the user experience with more intuitive AI. Now it doesn't just respond to your commands, but it learns from your daily routine and gives you personalized suggestions in real time.

AI has rapidly transitioned from optional software to a foundational feature on smartphones. This has altered how we interact with our devices, marking a monumental shift in consumer tech.

The rise of the ultra-slim smartphones

This year, we also witnessed several tech companies obsessed with making super-thin devices like the Galaxy S25 Edge and the iPhone Air, measuring 5.8 mm and 5.6mm, respectively. Fitting all the necessary components into such incredibly slim casings is an engineering marvel in itself.

Despite the hype both companies tried to create with phones, the S25 Edge and the iPhone Air saw underwhelming sales, so much so that Samsung has reportedly decided to ditch the Edge lineup for good.

Yet we feel that the slim-phone era is really just getting started. These devices may serve as crucial stepping stones toward future foldables or even slimmer rollable phones. It almost feels like the manufacturers are using these designs to experiment with new materials, improved battery technology, and more, in a quest to slim down hardware without compromising on performance.

Tariffs, Tariffs and, more Tariffs

Well, all wasn't merry in the town of Tech. Earlier this year, under the Trump administration, the U.S. imposed hefty tariffs that impacted the tech supply chain.

At first, a 10% tariff was levied on all Chinese imports, which was later increased to 20%. At the same time, the U.S. also imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico. At one point, tariffs went as high as 145%, which really shook up Apple investors, and the discussion quickly broadened to include all smartphone manufacturers. That imposed a 25% tariff on smartphones, including Apple, Samsung, and other OEMs that manufacture phones outside the country. The result?

This sent all the tech companies into a frenzy, leading Samsung to reportedly ramp up production of this year's Galaxy S25 series in a preemptive move and OnePlus to suddenly increase the price of its Watch 3. These tariffs even targeted semiconductor chips and key electronics, such as memory chips and circuits, which are mostly imported from outside the country, especially from China. After a few days, the White House decided to exempt certain electronics from these tariffs temporarily.

That said, it created enough confusion for consumers and tech companies alike. This means phones aren't getting expensive just because of their hardware, but also the global polices that dictate pricing. For now, Samsung and Google have both stuck to the same price tags with their flagships; however, this could change with your next phone.

XR finally gets its moment

XR had its best moments this year as several companies raced to put the future of tech on your face. Android pushed deeper into XR and VR with the launch of Samsung's much-awaited Galaxy XR headset in October, to challenge Apple's Vision Pro.

Galaxy XR came built on Android XR, and with Google’s Gemini AI baked right in. This means it’s not just a headset running Android apps but also an AI-powered device that understands your surroundings and responds through voice, vision, and gestures.

Meta also launched new AI-powered smart glasses this year, and the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses push the boundaries of wearable tech. As these glasses let you do pretty much anything while keeping your phone tucked away, from checking messages to basically navigating through life, you get to do it all with just one glance at the in-lens display.

Google also didn't shy away from showing off its own innovations in the XR field. It gave us a quick surprise demo of its glasses at I/O and offered a first look at Project Aura from XREAL, which is reportedly equipped with a 70-degree field of view and optical see-through technology, set to launch in 2026.

What you need to know

• Meta has reportedly paused its plan to let third-party companies ship headsets powered by Horizon OS, putting ASUS and Lenovo devices on hold.
• The company is said to be pivoting to focus exclusively on its own first-party hardware (the Quest line) to ensure the software foundation is solid before expanding.
• Reports suggest Meta’s next big mixed-reality headset may not arrive until 2027, raising the stakes for getting the software right.

Meta is reportedly stepping back from a major change in its XR strategy. According to Road to VR, the company has paused plans to let other manufacturers release headsets using Horizon OS, which puts upcoming devices from partners like ASUS and Lenovo on hold.

In 2024, Meta renamed its software to Horizon OS to show it was no longer just for Quest headsets. The goal was to make Horizon OS a common platform for virtual and mixed reality devices, allowing other companies to create their own hardware and use Meta’s apps, tools, and developer community.

ASUS was said to be developing a gaming headset focused on performance, while Lenovo was looking into mixed-reality hardware for both work and entertainment. These projects were meant to show that Horizon OS could work on more than just Meta’s own devices.

ASUS and Lenovo are left hanging

That plan is now said to be on ice. Meta has confirmed to Road to VR that the third-party Horizon OS program is paused, with no clear timeline for when or if it will resume.

Meta says it wants to concentrate on delivering “world-class first-party hardware and software" before expanding Horizon OS to outside manufacturers. In November, the company also reshuffled its metaverse efforts into two divisions, one focused on Horizon OS and another on the Metaverse Product Group.

Creating an XR operating system involves more than just adding software to different headsets. Horizon OS is closely connected to Meta’s hardware design, sensor setup, tracking systems, and performance goals.

Supporting devices from other companies means dealing with many different hardware options, which can make it harder to optimize, support developers, and provide updates over time. By stepping back, Meta is likely trying to avoid the fragmentation issues that have caused problems for other platforms before.

A recent report suggests Meta’s own next major mixed-reality headset may not arrive until 2027, putting extra pressure on the company to get its software foundation right.

Competitive pressure

Meanwhile, competition is growing. Apple is promoting its tightly controlled Vision Pro system, while Google is laying the groundwork for Android XR. In that context, Meta may see more value in refining Horizon OS internally before letting partners ship devices that define the platform’s early reputation.

For ASUS and Lenovo, the pause means their work is unfinished and their plans are now uncertain. Their Horizon OS headsets are not officially canceled, but they are no longer moving ahead as expected.

If you were looking forward to seeing non-Meta headsets with Horizon OS soon, that won’t happen. For now, Horizon OS will stay closely linked to Meta’s own Quest devices.

What you need to know

• Meta rolls out v21 software for smart glasses enhancing noise cancellation and essential listening.
• New 'Conversation Focus' feature amplifies voices in noisy environments for early access users.
• First multimodal AI music experience on Spotify suggests songs based on user context and surroundings.

Meta announced that it has started rolling out an important update to its AI smart glasses starting December 16.

According to its blog post, the v21 software is all about noise cancellation and helping users listen to what's essential while cutting out unnecessary noise. But that isn't all, it will also bring the ability for Meta AI to suggest a song on Spotify based on your vibe and what you're looking at in real-time. Neat eh?

Meta is rolling out the "Conversation focus" feature, teased earlier this year at Meta Connect, exclusively to users who've signed up for the early access program for either the RayBan Meta or Oakley Meta HSTN.

So, if you're at a restaurant, on a subway, or even at a live music festival, this will ensure that the person you're speaking to is amplified. This "amplification" can be adjusted just like the volume, by swiping the right temple of your glasses, or via device settings, making it a breeze to adjust the volume levels based on the environment you're in.

As for the Spotify feature, Meta says it is the first ever "multimodal" AI music experience, which literally combines computer vision and recognition with Spotify's personalization suggest music, for instance, if you're looking at an album cover or are at a local Christmas market, you can just say "Hey Meta, play a song to match this view." This will prompt it to play tunes from Spotify based on your taste or even create a playlist for that moment.

That said, the conversation focus feature is currently only available in the U.S. and Canada. However, the Spotify AI music experience is available to early access users in Australia, Canada, India, the U.S., and several other countries. You can find the full list on their blog, and sign up for their Early Access Program as well.

What you need to know

• Amazon announced that it has worked together with Meta to bring the "Instagram for TV" app to Fire TV devices.
• Users can sign into their Instagram accounts (up to five) and begin scrolling through an app experience that focuses on Reels.
• Instagram recently rolled out "Your Algorithm," which gives users the keys to control what content they want and don't want to see.

A holiday surprise you didn't expect: Meta and Amazon Fire TV have joined forces to craft an Instagram experience for the living room.

This morning (Dec 16), Amazon announced that it's rolling out an "Instagram for TV" app for its Fire TV devices. Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, highlighted the app today in the Meta Instagram channel, stating that the company is "testing Instagram for TV — a new way to watch Reels on your TV." As you'd expect from this message, the app's TV presence focuses strongly on the platform's short-form content: Reels.

Amazon says the app is "organized into channels tuned to your interests." A few channels include sports, music videos, and trending topics. The app's main view showcases these Reels horizontally, including "For You" and "Popular with friends."

As it rolls out today, users will need to sign into their Instagram accounts on their Fire TVs. The press release states the app on Fire TV supports five accounts at a time, giving users the ability to switch between them. Instagram for TV features interactions similar to what you'd get on your phone. Amazon says users can quickly heart (like), drop reactions, and dive into the comments.

Consumers with a Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st and 2nd Gen), Fire TV 2-Series, Fire TV 4-Series, or Fire TV Omni QLED Series can find the Instagram for TV app today (Dec 16).

So, you like Reels?

There's no doubt that Reels on Instagram are always where the hype is at, and Meta knows this, which is why it continuously tests new features for them. Earlier this year, Meta tested password-locked Reels for users. The first ones to take it for a test drive were The Weeknd, who showcased secret codes and hints for the locked Reels. It was marketed as a feature for creators to drive more engagement with the mystery of what's behind the lock.

Additionally, dropping exclusive content never became more, well, exclusive.

Most recently, Instagram announced a feature called "Your Algorithm." In short, the platform gave users in the U.S. the keys to control their Reels feed by telling the AI what they want to see and what they don't. Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, said that he envisioned a world where there was "transparency and control" with what users see on Instagram, and tuning the algorithm is a part of that.

Through this, users will see what the AI thinks they enjoy, with options to delete some supposed interests and add better ones.

What you need to know

• Meta plans to launch two new Ray-Ban Display glasses features in 2026: EMG handwriting and Instagram Reels support.
• EMG handwriting leverages the included Meta Neural Band to let users type with drawings or gestures.
• In "a couple of months," user will be able to watch Instagram Reels on their display glasses.

Meta launched the Ray-Ban Display earlier this year, and the smart glasses with a monocular screen are now available for purchase. While Meta's Ray-Ban Display glasses aren't a prototype, they are positioned for early adopters, and we expect the company to continue expanding their capabilities over time. Ahead of 2026, Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth is previewing what's next for Ray-Ban Display glasses, and the future looks bright.

The core Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses experience is powered by the Meta Neural Band. It's an included wristband with EMG technology that can map thousands of motor neurons and associate them with gestures. At launch, Ray-Ban Display supported the Neural Band for things like clicks, scrolls, and dials. However, that's just the start, as Bosworth confirms the EMG band "can become capable of recognizing increasingly complex inputs as time goes on."

Meta says that EMG handwriting is coming "soon" for Ray-Ban Display and Neural Band users.

"Soon we’ll roll out EMG handwriting — dozens of new neural signals that allow the band to reliably recognize every letter of the alphabet," Bosworth explains. "The more data we gather, the more capable it becomes."

Early access for EMG handwriting is set to arrive next month, with wider availability to follow. The feature could make it possible for Ray-Ban Display users to type and communicate with their smart glasses by simply drawing or gesturing on a flat surface while wearing the Meta Neural Band.

That's not all Meta has in store for Ray-Ban Display users, though. Owners are clamoring for a way to watch videos on the monocular display glasses, and in a series of Threads comments, Bosworth confirmed something is in the works. Support for Instagram Reels undergoes internal testing at Meta this month. Then, it'll roll out "in a couple of months."

Meta's Ray-Ban Display glasses cost $799, and while that includes a custom-fitted Neural Band, it's an expensive early-adopter product. The monocular display (meaning there's only a screen in one lens) and limited prescription support further narrows down the glasses' niche. With that being said, it's looking like 2026 will bring exciting new features to the smart glasses.

This past week, a frenzy of news posts and analyst critiques focused on Meta's "deep cuts" across its Metaverse division. This new division of Reality Labs, launched just one month ago, was created to cleanly split Reality Labs into more tangible business goals, and it was clearly put in place ahead of the big moves we saw in the past two weeks.

According to a Bloomberg report, Meta may be making 30% cuts to the division starting in January. That was enough for plenty of outlets to circle the wagons and cry that "VR is dead" once again, a mantra that far too many tech-forward publications love to scream year in and out. But the reality doesn't fit that narrative at all. In fact, reality is exactly the opposite of what these places purport.

Meta just hired two top-tier designers from Apple right before this news broke, and that news came just days after fresh leaks pointed toward a gaming-focused, high-end Meta Quest 4 in the works. Unironically, this is all happening as CTO Andrew Bosworth's promise that 2025 will be “the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure" is about to expire, signaling that the company's focus on Horizon Worlds as the go-to "metaverse" was the problem all along.

Getting back to basics

The main Reality Labs division was formed on August 25, 2020, just ahead of the Meta Quest 2's launch. Since then, this division has been responsible for developing VR headsets, smart glasses, Horizon Worlds, sEMG gesture bands, the Horizon operating system, next-generation realistic avatars, and more.

Meta spends billions on Reality Labs technology investments each quarter, with spending growing from about $2 billion in Q4 2020 to a whopping $6.05 billion in Q4 2024. Since 2022, over 50% of Reality Labs' budget has been spent developing true AR glasses like Meta Orion, though the closest Meta has come to releasing a consumer product is the Ray-Ban Display Glasses.

Since the end of 2022, Meta has been cutting spending in most divisions by around 10% per year to get costs under control. Because of Reality Labs' unbridled spending growth, Zuckerberg reportedly requested a 20% spending cut by the end of 2025. That apparently never happened.

Now, the division needs to cut spending by 30% to match the 10% annual cut plus the 20% 2025 cut that didn't happen. That's not a deep cut; that's an alignment with every other division within Meta.

Meta isn't abandoning VR at all, far from it. But I do believe the company is making important shifts away from failed projects like Horizon Worlds and toward the development of a new pair of mixed-reality glasses. The December 4 report from Business Insider aligns with this view, and new leaks about a gaming-focused, ultralight Meta Quest 4 further complete the picture of what's happening at Meta.

Now, does that mean Horizon Worlds is going away tomorrow? Absolutely not. Meta has significantly redesigned the operating system that powers the Meta Quest (called Horizon OS) to revolve around using Horizon Worlds as a central social platform. Some elements of this transition have proven to be a boon to the Quest's OS, such as easier ways to connect and chat with friends and less friction for new users.

Instead, I think Meta will now begin to focus more on game developers again as it attempts to rekindle relationships it tanked when it went all-in on Horizon Worlds integration. VR games have been obscenely difficult to find on the official Meta Quest store because Horizon Worlds content has been front and center for the past 15 months or so, causing real problems for developers and Meta Quest game sales.

With all of that now in focus, it paints a much clearer picture of what Reality Labs is doing and what Meta's future products are going to look like. For now, Meta Quest headsets, along with smart glasses like Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 and Oakley Meta HSTN, are going to continue pulling in around a billion in revenue each quarter, with Meta hoping for more growth in these segments as it starts to significantly trim spending.

That's not Meta giving up on VR or "the Metaverse," as many like to purport. That's the company ensuring that the products and services people care about are here for the long term and continue to evolve as customers use them. Services like Horizon Worlds are on the way out, and ultralight hardware with the same capabilities we know and love today (like Android XR's Project Aura) is the new hotness.

In the meantime, Quest gamers can still expect to enjoy blockbuster games like Batman: Arkham Shadow, Deadpool VR, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR, Metro Awakening, Asgard's Wrath 2, and many more as the company continues to pour money into VR development through its Oculus Publishing group. And hey, who knows, maybe we'll even get lucky enough to see beloved classics like Echo VR return if the company aligns with the goals of its hardcore base.

What you need to know

• The Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced that the platform is rolling out "Your Algorithm" to U.S. users for Reels today (Dec 10).
• This feature lets users see and control what the AI thinks they like to view in Reels.
• Instagram states that while Reels is the first, there are plans to bring Your Algorithm control to the search and home tabs.

Instagram announces a new feature that's headed for U.S. users that will put them in the driver's seat for the content they see.

Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, broke the news about the platform's newest feature: "Your Algorithm." According to Mosseri, this will let users "see and control" what content is produced for them in Reels. Instagram reportedly leverages its AI software to show users what it believes they're interested in. If you're ever wondering why you're seeing the Reels you are, this will give you the insight you need.

In Mosseri's video, he explains that users can head into "Your Algorithm" and fine-tune this as needed.

This feature is rolling out today (Dec 10) for the U.S., and a subsequent blog post went further, detailing more. When in Reels, users will soon notice an icon at the top right (it looks like two hearts on separate tracks). From there, you can see "Your Algorithm," a quick overview of what Instagram's AI believes you like to see. Users will notice two important categories: "what you want to see more of" and "what you want to see less of."

The former includes everything the AI already thinks you like, and you can add or subtract topics from there. The latter, what you want less of, is for topics you don't want to see while scrolling through Reels. The recommendations Instagram gives you will "adapt" to whatever you've set in Your Algorithm. Lastly, the post states users can "share" their interests, which is the short AI-generated blurb that sums it all up.

Mosseri adds that there's interest in a "world where there's transparency and control" with what the user sees on Instagram.

It's your algorithm

This is just the beginning for Instagram. Mosseri's announcement post adds that while Reels is the first, there's work to be done to bring "Your Algorithm" to the main Instagram feed and the search tab. The inclusion of the search tab is said to specifically show things you've added.

U.S. users are the first to receive this in Reels today; however, the company is already looking to bring it to more English speakers globally "soon."

Instagram's AI has been busy recently, as the platform started leaning on its software to identify teen users. The purpose is to help activate its teen-focused protections for younger users on the platform. It was stated that the AI would flag underage users even if their birthdays claim they're an adult. If flagged, Instagram's Teen Account settings will be automatically applied, closing off who can contact them and controlling the content they see.

What you need to know

• Meta has reportedly delayed the launch window for its new mixed-reality smart glasses to 2027.
• In a series of internal memos viewed by Business Insider, Meta leadership wrote about needing to "get the details right."
• The memos also reveal a new wearable and the next-generation Quest headset.

Meta is shaking up its product roadmap for wearables and mixed-reality headsets, according to a report from Business Insider. The report cites an internal memo from Maher Saba, who is the vice president of Meta's Reality Labs Foundation. It reveals that Meta's next-generation pair of mixed-reality glasses will now release in 2027 instead of 2026. Plus, there's reportedly a prototype wearable and a new Quest headset in the works.

The company originally planned to launch the mixed-reality glasses, code-named "Phoenix," in the second half of 2026. Now, the glasses are positioned for a release in the first half of 2027. The minor delay is intended to give Meta "a lot more breathing room to get the details right," according to a separate memo seen by Business Insider.

"There's a lot coming in hot with tight bring-up schedules and big changes to our core UX, and we won't compromise on landing a fully polished and reliable experience," wrote Metaverse leaders Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns, per the report.

Separately, the memo penned by Saba references a "limited edition" wearable variant code-named "Malibu 2" in 2026. The next Meta Quest headset will also be a "large upgrade" that will "significantly improve unit economics," according to Aul and Cairns.

While the memos don't reference the situation specifically, it sounds like these delays may be in relation to Meta's design leadership change announced this week. Apple designers Alan Dye and Billy Sorrentino are joining Meta to work under Reality Labs. Dye, the designer who led Apple's human interface design efforts for a decade, is creating a new design lab at Meta.

Dye will work under Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, who said he is "joining Meta to help build the future of computing at the intersection of AI, wearables and spatial computing."

The two Apple designers are moving over to Meta after spending time working on Liquid Glass, the Apple Watch, visionOS, and Apple Vision Pro. The memos mentioned "big changes to our core UX," which Meta's newly-acquired design leads may want to be part of.

The delays come at a time when Meta is set to face fierce competition in the smart glasses and virtual reality spaces. New Android XR hardware is expected next year to challenge Meta glasses and Meta Quest headsets, and Google is sharing more in a livestream this Monday, Dec. 8.

What you need to know

• Two legendary designers from Apple are headed to Meta's Reality Labs division to design the next generation of wearable devices, including VR and smart glasses.
• Alan Dye has served as the head of Apple's user interface team since 2015. He will now head design for hardware, software, and AI integration for Meta.
• Billy Sorrentino has been responsible for Apple's Vision OS design, Liquid Glass, the iPhone camera, and more at Apple since 2016 and will also be joining the lead design team at Meta.

Meta's Reality Labs products are about to get a lot more streamlined, if a duo of new hires are anything to judge the future by. Alan Dye and Billy Sorrentino have both departed Apple's lead design teams after a decade of service at the company, now moving "to help build the future of computing at the intersection of AI, wearables and spatial computing," according to a social media post by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.

Alan Dye's name was first leaked by Bloomberg earlier today, then confirmed by Bosworth a few hours later. Dye comes from a solid decade of design work at Apple, including overseeing the Vision OS user interface design, big redesigns of several of Apple's operating systems, as well as playing "a central role" in many of Apple's apps, the Apple Watch, and the iPhone X.

Dye will begin work as Chief Design Officer for Meta's Reality Labs division, starting December 31, where his major focus will be "revamping Meta's consumer devices with artitificial intelligence features," according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, Billy Sorrentino is also joining Meta's Reality Labs division and comes from an enviable position at Apple where he lead design on "VisionOS, this year’s ecosystem-wide Liquid Glass redesign, iPhone camera, computational photography, and Visual Intelligence experiences," according to his LinkedIn profile.

Sorrentino has won many design awards over the past decade at Apple, and his work on VisionOS will no doubt be used to influence sweeping design changes for Meta's Horizon OS, which powers its Meta Quest headsets and future 3rd party VR headsets.

Meta has long struggled to design interfaces for its VR headsets and smart glasses, often launching complete UI overhauls and redesigns every few months in an effort to find something better. The company's newest UI, called Navigator, is still in beta and has seen several major redesigns since initially being introduced in a public test firmware earlier this summer.

Since both Dye and Sorrentino were part of VisionOS's lead design team, there's little doubt that Meta will utilize their talent to help create better UI's for its products, potentially as early as the launch of Meta's upcoming minimalist headset, expected later in 2026.

What you need to know

• New Meta Quest 4 rumors point to a higher resolution display upgrade, eye and face tracking, and a smaller/lighter design, thanks to an external "puck."
• The rumor notes that the headset may ship without controllers and could cost as much as $800.
• Lastly, Meta may ship this new headset with a new name, suggesting that it's part of an entirely different product category rather than a traditional Meta Quest release.

A new set of rumors and conjecture around Meta's next XR headset backs up previous leaks and even gives us new information surrounding details of the upgraded hardware set to release sometime in late 2026.

But don't call it a Meta Quest 4, because VR veteran Nima Zeighami left a post on X noting that the next Meta headset "won't be called Quest." Zeighami has been a part of the VR industry for a long time, working as the Technical Product Manager at Within, the company behind the ever-popular workout app Supernatural, back in 2017, and later going on to work for several other VR companies to this day.

In addition to this revelation of Meta's purported new naming convention, Zeighami backed up previous rumors about the headset's specs and revealed several new ones. That upgraded display is said to feature more pixels per degree (PPD) than the Quest 3, but not quite as high-res as Galaxy XR or Apple Vision Pro.

PPD is a measurement of how many pixels are displayed within one degree of a viewer's field of view (FOV). This is an important measurement because a higher resolution panel may not necessarily equate to better visuals if the "wrong" lenses are used. The Holocake 2 prototype, pictured above, featured an ultra-high 55 PPD (60 PPD is considered "retina resolution") as well as a super slim profile.

• The Ultimate Meta Quest 3 and 3S Starter Kit: 12 high-tech accessories for a peak VR experience

Additionally, Zeighami backs up the idea that this next Meta headset will feature a separated "puck" that may contain both the compute and battery components of the headset. For comparison, the compute portion of the Valve Steam Frame weighs just 190g, while a Meta Quest 3 (with no detachable compute components) weighs 515g. Other minimalist premium VR headsets like the Bigscreen Beyond 2 weigh just 107g by offsetting tracking and compute to a connected PC, something Meta could hope to replicate with a separate puck.

Zeighami also notes that eye and face tracking will come standard on Meta's next headset, mirroring that of the Galaxy XR, Apple Vision Pro, and the Meta Quest Pro. The kicker is that this new headset will reportedly only cost $800, a massive differentiator from the $1500 Quest Pro, $1800 Galaxy XR, and $3500 Apple Vision Pro.

A recent Instagram AMA from Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth (via Luna on X) seems to back up the idea that Meta is looking to launch a new lighter headset by "taking the wins from each generation...and pour it into lightness and smallness." James Cameron also made similar comments back at Meta Connect in September this year, furthering the idea that we should expect a new supremely small and light standalone XR headset from Meta in 2026.

What you need to know

• Meta's Black Friday deals are official with offers on Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Meta Quest headsets.
• These offers are live until Dec. 1, 2025 and take 20% off the purchase of prescription lenses for Meta smart glasses, too.
• With Meta's holiday return policy in effect, you have until Jan. 31, 2025 to change your mind.

Tech companies are starting to show their Black Friday hands ahead of time, and now, we can add Meta to that list. The company added what it's calling Meta's "best deal of the year" to its online store over the weekend, further lowering the price of its Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 smart glasses. The wide-ranging sale also cuts the price of prescription lenses, accessories, and the Meta Quest 3S headset.

The Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 smart glasses are now priced at just $239.20 for the Wayfarer or Skyler styles, down from $299 at full price. The offer is especially intriguing when compared to the $379 starting price of the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 smart glasses. While the second-generation glasses have longer battery life and a better camera, Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 are still serviceable and continue to get more features, like Garmin integration and extra video stabilization options.

Aside from the frames, Meta is offering 20% off prescription lenses ordered from its site. That extends beyond the discounted Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 frames — buyers can claim the discounted lenses with the purchase of any Ray-Ban Meta or Oakley Meta HSTN frames. Both offers end on Dec. 1, 2025.

• The Ultimate Meta Quest 3 and 3S Starter Kit: 12 high-tech accessories for a peak VR experience

Meta's holiday return policy is now in effect, meaning any purchase made between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025 have an extended return window. These products can be returned for free until Jan. 31, 2026. That gives buyers extra time to make returns compared to Meta's typical two-week return window.

For the first time ever, the Meta Quest 3 is seeing a discount, with Best Buy and Amazon offering $75 gift cards with the purchase of the system at $499. That's not a "traditional" sale, but it does mean you get a gift card to spend on other holiday gifts!

Meta is also discounting the Meta Quest 3S by up to $50, bringing the starting price down to $249.99. It's a big deal considering the Quest 3S was already a great value at $299.99. Select Meta Quest accessories are also discounted by 20% for a limited time. At roughly half the price of a Meta Quest 3, the discounted Meta Quest 3 becomes a better value for VR-curious buyers.

As of now, Meta hasn't announced deals for the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, Oakley Meta HSTN, or Oakley Meta Vanguard. However, it's always possible Meta throws in a surprise as Black Friday nears.

More Black Friday 2025 - quick links

• Best Buy: major discounts on Chromebooks, Android phones, and more
• Amazon: official Black Friday discounts on tablets, smart home tech
• Walmart: price drops on ASUS laptops, locked phones
• Samsung: new Galaxy XR headset, trade-in opportunities
• Verizon: free phones with new line, trade-in
• T-Mobile: free Galaxy phones, $300 back w/ 5G Home Internet
• Mint Mobile: 50% off Pixel 10, BOGO Unlimited plans
• AT&T: get a free Z Flip 7 with trade-in, new line
  
  More Black Friday coverage
• The best Google Pixel deals of Black Friday (so far)
• The best Samsung deals of Black Friday (so far)
• The best Motorola deals of Black Friday (so far)

What you need to know

• Meta is testing a trade-in program for its Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses.
• Users can trade in a pair of glasses or earbuds to receive a discount on a new pair of Meta smart glasses.
• The offer is live now and lasts through the end of the year while supplies last, but might not appear for everyone.

Meta is piloting a trade-in program for its smart glasses that lets buyers send in their old device in exchange for up to $122 in credit towards a new pair. The program began November 14 and lasts through December 31, or "while supplies last." Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 are eligible for trade-in toward a new pair of Meta glasses, excluding Meta Ray-Ban Display. You can also send in select earbud pairs from Apple, Beats, and Samsung in exchange for credit towards your purchase.

It's the first time Meta has experimented with accepting trade-ins, and it's unclear whether the program will stick around. It was spotted on the Ray-Ban Meta subreddit by users, and is confirmed by a legal document on Meta's website. Since it's a limited test, not every buyer will see the trade-in option while completing their purchase.

• Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) Wayfarer Glasses: $299 $239.20 at Best Buy

PSA: Meta Offers Trade In! (for now) from r/RaybanMeta

The option to trade in a pair of glasses or earbuds appears after you add an eligible pair of Meta glasses to your bag. You can trade in an eligible device toward either Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1, Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, Oakley Meta HSTN, and Oakley Meta Vanguard. The offer only appears for the regular models, as limited-edition and refurbished variants are excluded.

These are the glasses and earbuds eligible for trade-in through the pilot program:

• Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1
• Apple Airpods Pro 2
• Apple Airpods Pro
• Apple Airpods Pro 4
• Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
• Beats Studio Buds Plus
• Beats Fit Pro
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 3
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 can earn up to $122 in credit, while AirPods, Beats, and Samsung Galaxy Buds can earn up to $70 in credit. We're seeing different trade-in values on different browsers and devices. Meta mistakenly lists AirPods Pro 4 as being eligible; it's unclear if the company actually means AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 3.

How does Meta's trade-in program work?

Like most programs, the Meta pilot uses a third-party company to handle trade-ins. In this case, it's a company named Reconext, which Meta describes as "a leading prover of aftermarket lifestyle services for electronics" with "more than 20 years of experience evaluating used electronic equipment."

The trade-in device must be in working condition and include its case and charger. Buyers need to send in their old device within 30 days of receiving the shipping label for it. Once they complete the purchase, they'll complete a separate questionnaire that determines the exact trade-in quote.

This value "may be more than, less than, or of no value compared to the official quote that was conveyed to you" after it is inspected by Reconext. After inspection, the value of your trade-in will be refunded to your original payment method.

While we don't know if Meta's trade-in program will be permanent, this pilot is a way for Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 owners to upgrade to Gen 2 or an Oakley style at a discount.

Today, I opened the Meta Ray-Ban app to download some videos I recorded on my glasses over the weekend, only to be greeted by an AI-generated video of President Trump getting arrested at the White House. Some might celebrate this kind of video. Others might be so pissed off that they immediately uninstall the app.

Regardless of your political stance here, one thing is true: this kind of content doesn't belong in the app I'm required to use in order to interface with my Oakley Meta or Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

To a different degree, the same kind of sloppy app design has been plaguing Meta Quest users for the last year. Last year, Meta started pushing its Horizon Worlds metaverse apps to more platforms, culminating with a mobile-first approach when the company rebranded the Meta Quest app to Meta Horizon.

The obvious problem here is that I don't use this app to play sloppy Roblox-style social games with friends on my phone. I use it to connect to my Meta Quest and, hopefully, to browse for new VR games and apps.

This ridiculous scope creep has been ruining Meta's two best hardware products, and it's high time Meta gets a clue. Meta Quest gamers don't want to play lousy free-to-play games on their phones through the Meta Quest app. Likewise, Ray-Ban or Oakley Meta users have no desire to browse AI slop Instagram reels when they're just trying to connect to their smart glasses.

Meta needs to return to its roots and provide users with what they want, rather than continuing to inject its unwanted content into unrelated apps. If users really want to browse AI-generated social media, make it a new tab in the Instagram app. If some mobile gamers want to join Horizon Worlds on their phones, make it a separate app.

Heck, dropping that in the Facebook app makes a lot more sense than it being in the Meta Quest app, especially when putting this content front and center is contributing to lower sales on your own video game platform. Get it together, Meta, or users will find a better alternative.