What you need to know

• Meta is reportedly developing Luna smart glasses without a camera, with a launch possible as soon as next month.
• Luna will reportedly feature six microphones, six speakers, and a dedicated button for quickly accessing Meta AI.
• Meta is also developing Phoenix AR glasses with virtual workspaces and movie screens, reportedly coming in 2027.

Meta is reportedly preparing to enter a slightly different category of the smart glasses market with a new pair that doesn't have any cameras.

Smart glasses have faced plenty of scrutiny over the past few months, and privacy has always been one of the biggest concerns surrounding models with built-in cameras. Meta has taken several steps recently to prevent users from tampering with the capture LED and secretly recording people, but the privacy concerns and perception around camera-equipped smart glasses still remain.

Now, it looks like Meta is preparing an alternative for people who want smart glasses without the camera. According to a report from The Information, Meta is developing a new pair of camera-free smart glasses and could begin shipping them as soon as next month.

The new model will reportedly be called Luna and could be unveiled at the Connect developer conference next week. The glasses are expected to be available in two designs, called Clubmaster and Burbank.

While Luna won't have a camera, it will still pack plenty of hardware for accessing Meta AI. The glasses will reportedly feature six microphones and six speakers aimed at the user's ears. This will allow users to talk directly with Meta's AI chatbot without pulling out their phone.

The glasses are also expected to retain a dedicated button on the side for quick access to Meta AI.

Removing the camera will reportedly allow Meta to slim down Luna considerably. The new model is expected to look and feel much closer to a conventional pair of glasses, which could make them more appealing to people who don't necessarily want the bulk or privacy concerns that come with camera-equipped smart glasses.

Luna isn't the only new pair of glasses Meta is reportedly working on, though. The company is also developing its own augmented reality glasses, reportedly called Phoenix.

Meta is reportedly preparing a major demo of Phoenix that could show us a different way of video calling. The glasses will reportedly be capable of displaying virtual workspaces and large virtual movie screens. Phoenix is still further away, though, with the AR glasses currently expected to arrive sometime in 2027.

What you need to know

• Meta One subscription plans were announced for individual, AI power users, creators, and businesses.
• Each plan is tailored for what that specific user might need, such as an enhanced profile for creators/businesses, highlighting their website, locations, and more.
• Meta One subscriptions plans are available today (Sept. 15), beginning at $14.99 for creators/businesses and $7.99 for the Core plan (individual users).

We knew it was coming ever since Meta's original announcement back in May. Today (Sept. 15), Meta's latest subscription plans for its slew of apps are here.

In the company's press release, it states the Meta One subscription plans intend to "bring more value to the apps and experiences billions of people already use..." Meta One features plans intended for individuals, AI power users, creators, and businesses. The level of "expression" will depend on which subscription plan works best for you.

Meta builds on past announcements with the Core and Premium plans. It states these plans will bring more "compute-intensive AI capabilities." The Core and Premium plans are focused on assisting users with more "creative freedom" while using its AI services. More media generation is possible with Meta AI through the Core and Premium plans, as well as the availability of in-app AI features, like Restyle (on Instagram).

Here's the breakdown of the Core and Premium plans for individual and AI power users:

• Core ($7.99/mo): Restyle more Stories on Instagram, use voice effects and creative tools more often, and generate more images and videos with Meta AI. Plus, express yourself in more ways with our individual app features (Instagram Plus, WhatsApp Plus, Facebook Plus)
• Premium ($19.99/mo): Everything in Core, with the most room to create content with Meta AI and across our family of apps

Users starting their small businesses, or even creators looking to grow, might opt for one of Meta One's other four plans.

The company says its creator and business plans place the tools users will need to grow and expand their reach directly in-app. These features include professional tools and AI that's integrated with your account. Meta says this removes the necessity of creating an entirely new account to manage your business.

These plans will also provide users with an "enhanced profile." This profile will place everything important to your business or creator scope front and center. Your website and location (business locations) were mentioned. However, Meta One will send follow invitations to people who interact with your content and feature a "bold follow button" on your Reels.

Meta One's subscription plans for businesses and creators begin at $14.99 a month. While you'll receive a verified badge, a verified business channel on WhatsApp, and impersonation protection, Meta One adds access to the Meta Business Agent. This agent is available through WhatsApp and is available 24/7. You can check the remaining plans' details in the gallery above.

Meta's app subscriptions

We knew "Meta One" was coming since May. At that time, the company revealed a slew of app subscriptions for Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus, and WhatsApp Plus. Naomi Gleit, Meta's head of product, detailed everything we needed to know, stating that these plans would give users more ways to "express and connect." WhatsApp Plus is the cheapest option at $2.99. Facebook and Instagram users would have to cough up a dollar more at $3.99 for Plus additions.

For Instagram Plus, more vibrant and expressive animations were highlighted early on. These animations would play when liking someone's Story, such as "Super Heart." Subscribers could also "spotlight" a Story once a week to reach for extra views.

What you need to know

• Meta’s Project Phoenix is finally coming into focus after more than a year of rumors about a lightweight, high-end mixed-reality headset.
• Phoenix looks more like smart glasses than a traditional VR headset, using nose pads and temple-mounted sensors.
• An external compute puck appears to be part of the design.

Whispers about Meta working on a lightweight, high-end mixed reality headset codenamed Project Phoenix have floated around the tech sphere for over a year. Now, we finally get our first real look at what Mark Zuckerberg's hardware team has been cooking up, and it seems Meta accidentally left the key under the mat.

The images were revealed through Meta’s HorizonOS Prescription Lens package, which first appeared in August as a mostly blank system package, as noticed by UploadVR. An update in September showed detailed pictures of how prescription lens inserts attach to the Phoenix and how users scan a QR code to set them up.

Interestingly, the hardware looks less like a traditional VR headset and more like chunky glasses. Phoenix uses nose pads instead of the bulky face interface of the Quest 3 and other XR headsets, with sensors along the temples. There’s also a cable coming from the left temple, seemingly confirming previous reports that Phoenix will use an external compute puck.

It's a design that could change the way people think about wearing a mixed reality headset. If you’ve been using more traditional XR headsets, you’ll probably find it comforting to realize potential benefits here, like less weight on your face, but the compromise moves elsewhere: you’ll need to deal with a separate computing unit and a cable.

For Meta, the greater challenge might be getting that extra hardware to feel invisible enough that Phoenix still feels like something you can casually wear, rather than another device you have to gear up for.

There's another interesting clue here. The leaked setup stuff seems to be based on prescription inserts and controller-free interaction.

Meta hasn’t officially announced Phoenix yet, but Meta Connect 2026 starts September 23 and has a session dedicated to controller-free interaction on its agenda. If Phoenix shows up there, we might finally learn whether Meta’s push toward lighter mixed reality headsets is a real shift in headset design, or just a clever way to move the weight somewhere else.

What you need to know

• Rumors claim Samsung is developing a new pair of smart glasses, and has tapped Samsung Display for an in-lens color display.
• The glasses would allegedly focus on displaying "text, notifications, icons, and more" on an extremely thin panel.
• Samsung has its Intelligent Eyewear, which is supposedly coming out this fall, but those are mostly voice-focused with Google's Gemini and a camera.

Samsung has barely dipped a toe into the world of smart glasses, and there's already a rumor that it wants to go bigger next time.

This report from The Elec (Korean) claims Samsung might've started developing smart glasses with a color display (via 9to5Google). The publication cites its "industry sources" in saying Samsung has tapped Samsung Display to "create microdisplays" for a future pair of AI smart glasses. These rumors claim Samsung has a lot on its plate to prepare this product.

Specifically, the post claims Samsung has a "technical challenge" to overcome: its FOV (field of view). The company is purportedly chasing a wide FOV for these glasses to accommodate the information users would see. What's more, Samsung is leaning on its Display side to create "ultra-small panels" of ~0.2 inches or smaller for the lenses. Samsung is allegedly focusing on displaying "text, notifications, icons, and navigation arrows" (machine-translated).

It's still incredibly early to know for sure how Samsung's first color display smart glasses will arrive. However, the publication suggests the glasses could see a launch in the second half of 2027 or "early" in 2028.

Got lenses?

We can't help but think about the Ray-Ban Display glasses from Meta. In fact, that's probably the kind of competition Samsung wants to get itself involved in. These glasses also feature the neural band. It makes it easier to control the display and content on your lenses with hand gestures. There's plenty of time still to see how Samsung manages this.

Right now, we have (kind of) Samsung's "Intelligent Eyewear." These glasses are in partnership with Google, alongside designs from Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. These are Samsung's first smart glasses, but they lean more on the user's voice. Users can communicate with Gemini for navigation, order pickups, and photos. The glasses feature a camera and a microphone to get all of this done. Google reiterated its Samsung partnership during this summer's Unpacked.

These glasses aren't out yet. During the original announcement this past spring, Samsung said we shouldn't expect to see them until "later this fall."

What you need to know

• Meta AI glasses v28 update adds pedestrian navigation, Spatial Audio, expanded language support, and camera anti-tampering improvements.
• With hands-free walking directions, you can ask Meta to navigate to nearby destinations, with driving directions sent to your phone for farther trips.
• Spatial Audio makes listening richer and adds a more immersive layer to music and podcasts on supported Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

Meta has been steadily expanding what its AI glasses can do, and the latest v28 update adds several practical upgrades, including pedestrian navigation, Spatial Audio, and broader language support.

Perhaps the headline addition is pedestrian navigation. You can now ask the smart glasses to guide you on foot to nearby destinations using voice commands such as “Hey Meta, navigate to Times Square.” If you’re farther away, the glasses can send driving directions to your phone.

There’s also a new way to begin navigation from your phone: Find a destination in your mapping app, tap Share, and select Meta AI, and navigation will start on your connected glasses.

The update also broadens where walking directions work. Meta says it now offers walking directions in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, and some cities across the world.

Audio gets an upgrade as well. Now, Spatial Audio can make a more immersive version of the stereo sound you’re already getting, whether that’s music or a podcast. You can find this option in Settings > Audio > Spatial. It works with Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 Optics and the Meta Glasses collection.

Meta is also adding Mandarin Chinese (zh_CN) support across Device Controls, calls and messaging, media capture and music controls, Meta AI, and MMAI.

Finally, v28 has ongoing anti-tampering improvements to protect the cameras on the glasses.

Earlier firmware releases introduced features like Conversation Focus, which uses the microphones in the glasses to help users hear nearby voices better, and deeper Spotify integration. Similarly, on Reddit, the response is pragmatic, with users mostly praising the glasses for hands-free photos, calls, podcasts, and open-ear audio, while battery life and Meta AI’s limitations remain common complaints.

What you need to know

• Instagram is changing its "AI creator" label to "AI-generated profile" to give users better clarity over whether or not the content (and person) they're viewing is real.
• The platform states there will be restrictions and limits imposed on profiles that do not adhere to this label.
• Instagram already has its AI Info option, which lets users know if something on the platform was made with AI, such as photos and videos.

Instagram is tightening the screws around AI content on its platform this week. Specifically, the app is bringing more clarity for users when a profile is deemed to be nothing but AI.

This morning (Aug 31), Instagram announced that it is changing its "AI creator" label to "AI-generated profile." It states this change was made to "make it more clear to people when a profile features an AI-generated person rather than a human." Here's the thing: if someone is running an AI-generated account, meaning the person users see isn't real, they will face limits. Instagram says these limits will be imposed on their accounts' reach, meaning their views and interactions will suffer.

These "unlabeled accounts" can make things right by adding the new AI-generated profile label to their account. Additionally, they can appeal the decision if there was a mistake.

Instagram has made these decisions due to user feedback. It states users "don’t like seeing a profile that seems human, only to find out later that the person featured is AI-generated." If something was made with AI, users want to know flat out, not after the fact. If a profile/account has always used the "AI creator" label, nothing necessarily changes. The "AI-generated profile" label will simply continue. However, the post states that if a user utilizes AI tools as part of their "creative process," the AI-generated profile label doesn't apply.

Instagram says this change is a part of an ongoing process. Things may continue to change over time.

Changes continue for Instagram

AI has arrived on Instagram in a myriad of ways over the past few years. On one hand, we have warning labels that the content you're viewing was made by AI, such as photos. Then, we have Instagram's mistakes, where users have seen the app mistakenly call their friends AI in a messaging glitch. Regardless, it's safe to assume that more AI-related features for transparency will continue. The post acknowledges that generative AI tools spread, but users want to know if what they're seeing is real or fantasy.

On the flip side, Meta was involved in a $16 billion settlement over the addictive nature of its social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram. This settlement focuses on younger users, as the case highlighted a "nationwide mental health crisis" that's been "fueled" by these addictive apps. As a result, Meta will need to roll out changes for younger user accounts to help cut down their exposure.

Such changes will involve daily usage limits, age restrictions for content, and more.

Android Central's Take

It feels like you're always on guard online now. Not that you weren't before, but it's for a different reason today. Now you're wondering, "was... was this made by a computer and not a person?" "Is this person real?" It's kind of weird. It almost feels like we're walking into a sci-fi story where the AI starts learning and evolving and taking over. No? I watch too many movies, I know.

What you need to know

• Meta's latest smart glasses update stops video recording if someone covers the capture LED after filming begins.
• The update closes a loophole that previously allowed users to start recording first and then cover the LED afterward.
• Meta says several businesses offering capture LED tampering services have already shut down following its changes.

Meta has started rolling out another update for its AI glasses that closes yet another loophole that allowed users to record discreetly while keeping the capture LED covered.

Earlier this year, Meta took several major steps to address privacy concerns surrounding its smart glasses. The company rolled out a mandatory update for its Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, and Meta AI glasses that prevented the camera from recording if the capture LED had been tampered with or covered.

Meta said the change was designed to make sure people around the wearer can clearly tell whenever the glasses are capturing photos or videos.

Now, the company is rolling out another update that closes a loophole in that system. Meta VP Alex Himel shared on Threads that the new update will stop video recording if someone covers the capture LED after recording has already started.

Until now, users could apparently get around Meta's protection by starting a recording while the LED was visible and then covering it afterward. With the latest update, doing that will automatically stop the recording.

Himel added that Meta will continue rolling out updates like this to make sure the capture LED can "reliably alert bystanders" whenever photos or videos are being captured and saved to someone's gallery.

Meta also claims that its efforts against LED tampering are already having a deterrent effect. According to the company, several businesses that previously offered services to disable or cover the capture LED on Meta's smart glasses have already shut down.

In fact, the company has also launched an awareness campaign explaining what the capture LED actually means. With AI glasses quickly becoming a much bigger product category, Meta says not everyone is familiar with the light or knows when someone is recording. The company now seems to be heavily marketing these new privacy protections in an effort to build back some of that trust.

In addition to these changes, Meta says it has removed accounts from its platforms that engaged in this behavior, alongside posts that provided instructions or advertised services for tampering with the capture LED.

Honestly, it's pretty sad that things have reached this point. In my opinion, protections against something as obvious as covering the recording light should have been built into these glasses from the beginning. But nonetheless, Meta is finally closing these loopholes, and hopefully, it makes discreet recording with its smart glasses much harder going forward.

What you need to know

• Meta has reportedly reached a $16 billion settlement with 29 states involving claims that its social media platforms "harmed young users."
• Not only have Facebook and Instagram reportedly "fueled" a nationwide mental health crisis, but the addictive nature does not help.
• Following the settlement, Meta will need to roll out changes to its platforms to reduce the addictive nature for younger users with usage limits and more.

Lawsuits have been filed against Meta in several states over the past few months over how its social media platform addict children. Another has been settled, pushing Meta to shell out over $16 billion.

A major settlement such as this isn't the only thing Meta is forced to do. Following coverage by Reuters, Meta will also need to make sweeping changes to how younger audiences interact with its platforms. For context, this $16.68 billion settlement involved claims from 29 states. Each state claimed that Meta's social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram) "harmed young users."

Specifically, these platforms reportedly "fueled a nationwide youth mental health crisis." Meta has continued to disagree with these allegations. Regardless, to reduce the "addictive nature" of its platforms for younger users, Meta will restrict nighttime use of Facebook and Instagram. Meta will also beef up its defenses to keep kids away from "age-restricted" content, while introducing a new daily usage limit.

The addictive or potentially mentally harmful sides of social media were the highlights behind these claims. However, Reuters mentions another side of these claims that also makes up this $16 billion settlement: child privacy. According to the post, the 29 states claim Meta "violated the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act" by collecting data from kids without consent.

What's more, Meta allegedly used this data to train its AI systems. It should only be a matter of time before we see the result of this settlement hit Facebook and Instagram for youth accounts.

A prevoius case

This has been a long-standing issue for Meta over the past few months. In March, we highlighted CNBC's coverage of a Los Angeles case involving YouTube and Meta's "negligence." The trial concerned Kaley (otherwise known as K.G.M.), a young woman who said she had become "addicted" to social media as a child. According to K.G.M., this addiction led to severe mental health issues as she got older. K.G.M. is now 20 years old.

In their argument, K.G.M. said the "infinite scrolling" aspect of social media is where the addiction begins. Additionally, the case in Los Angeles highlighted the influx of notifications one would receive from these platforms, which didn't help. Meta disagreed with the claims, as it's done in the recent settlement involving 29 states. The company also leaned on K.G.M.'s therapists to say that none of these claims were "the cause" of her mental health issues.

What you need to know

• A report discovered a Meta patent for new "hardware-level" locking for AI glasses microphones and cameras.
• It's been stated that this method removes software completely, meaning no nefarious actors could reactivate your mic or camera without your knowledge.
• The idea is to return privacy to the people, as Meta's AI glasses have come under severe backlash due to others recording people against their will or knowledge.

Having a pair of smart glasses is one thing. But to many, it's an entirely different topic when you factor in cameras and microphones that can record you. A report claims Meta's filed a patent that could help bring our privacy back.

The team at Patentlyze highlighted a patent from Meta that could help alleviate privacy concerns surrounding smart glasses. The publication states Meta has filed a patent for a "privacy shield" that's operated in full by hardware components. Software plays no role in muting/unmuting the microphone or cutting off the camera. As Patentlyze notes, this would be a notable shift from how these functions are operated on a device like a phone, which relies on software.

According to its discovery, this "hardware mute circuit" would lock the camera/micrpohone at "atomically." This reportedly leaves no room for hackers or other nefarious attackers to activate these sensitive areas without you knowing. More importantly, Patentlyze says, "no app, no operating system update, and no remote hack can flip it back on." Other details in the patent mention that the "trigger," the act of muting or cutting off the camera, would need to come from a "verified hardware source."

Right now, we can think of this as a button that you can press or perhaps a switch you can slide into a locked state.

This is a patent, and, as always, there's no telling if or when we could see this on the market. At present, we have something to hold us over.

Meta has a real problem

This patent discovery follows the same line as a recent mandatory patch Meta pushed to its AI glasses last month. This patch deserves context. It was reported that users with Meta's AI glasses were covering the LED indicator that illuminates when the camera is active. It would let people record others without their knowledge. It was creepy and unsettling. These same malicious users found other means of getting around the LED indicator, such as drilling holes and other modifications.

Meta's patch solves this. The company states that any tampering with the LED recording light will disable the camera completely. If the privacy light is tampered with or covered, this safeguard will activate. There's been no shortage of backlash from people about Meta's "pervert glasses," or however you may describe them. This update was a step in bringing back user privacy. Now, with this recent patent, it seems Meta isn't done.

Android Central's Take

People, right? It's like the one bad student in class that gets the teacher made, so now we all have extra homework for the weekend. Painful. Something like this gives a company's product a bad rep. But it's more than that. Put Meta aside and just think on a street level. No one wants to feel like they're being watched. No one wants to be recorded. For what? Why are you recording them? A person's privacy is nothing to scoff at, and it's definitely nothing to defile.

What you need to know

• Meta announces that its neural handwriting is now rolling out in its EAP (Early Access Program) for the Ray-Ban Display.
• Users are recommended to write with their index finger on a stable surface, and allow the AI to correct any typos or mistakes.
• Meta confirmed this was on the way for the Ray-Ban Display in December.

Meta's neural band is an important part of its smart glasses experience. It brings convenience, and Meta says it's offering a new feature in Early Access for silent AI interactions.

If you've got a pair of Meta smart glasses, the company has announced a silent handwriting feature in Early Access using the Neural Band. In a press release, Meta says users can write "AI queries with their index finger when their display is on." It states users can get answers to questions, play a song, pull up directions, and more without much effort—just a finger. Meta went into more detail about this EAP (Early Access Program) feature.

If you're interested, Meta says users must ensure their Neural Band is paired with their glasses and that everything is updated, as well as enroll in the EAP. To enable neural handwriting, head to Meta AI app > Settings > select your glasses > Early Access > toggle Meta AI with neural handwriting. For the "best results," Meta recommends users write with their index finger. It states you should "anchor your wrist on a hard surface and use your index finger to write." What's more, you should write in print, not cursive.

To ensure the Neural Band and neural handwriting feature captures what you're writing properly, you should write smoothly and at a consistent pace. Meta says users shouldn't worry about typos, nor should they wait for their HUD to catch up to what they've written. Continue regardless, and Meta AI will automatically fix any errors.

Neural handwriting is headed to the Meta Ray-Ban Display in the EAP.

Writing in the air

It was teased in December 2025, and now it's finally here. Meta confirmed late last year that it planned to empower its Ray-Ban Display further with "virtual" handwriting. We've now seen this arrive as neural handwriting. This EMG handwriting feature was confirmed to leverage the Neural Band with the user's drawing and gesture inputs. The company also teased Instagram Reel support for its glasses, too.

The neural band was an object of interest for Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich last year, too. To him, it felt like a true device straight out of a Sci-fi movie. To Meta, the sEMG band (neural band) is a requirement for "true AR smart glasses products." Users wouldn't need to rely on a screen to type their commands. The band captures your muscle movements to act out what you're writing or capture your gestures. It's silent and completely hands-free (technically).

Android Central's Take

The neural band is pretty cool, I have to admit. But bringing this "virtual" or neural handwriting just seems like the next logical step for Meta. It can already capture gesture for scrolling through song lists, why not do more? Why not make it so writing a quick message or asking its AI is effortless with single movements?

What you need to know

• Meta has collaborated with Xbox once again, stating it's bringing the "starter edition" Xbox Game Pass into its Horizon Plus subscription for VR gaming.
• The Xbox Game Pass opens up an additional 50 plus library of games, ranging from AAA to indie titles on its Quest headsets.
• The starter edition Xbox Game Pass for Meta Horizon Plus is rolling out today (July 21).

Meta Horizon Plus is a gateway into VR games on the company's Quest headsets. We're always looking to expand our libraries, and Meta's teaming up with Xbox to do so.

This morning (July 21), it was announced that Meta Horizon Plus and Xbox Game Pass are teaming up. Specifically, Meta says the "starter edition" of the Xbox Game Pass will award VR users with "a library of 50+ games." The two companies have included a mix of titles, ranging from popular AAA games to indie titles. The press release says users will find Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 from Bethesda Softworks, Overcooked 2 (chaotic, co-op cooking game) from Ghost Town Games, Deep Rock Galactic, and more.

What's more, Meta says the starter edition of the Xbox Game Pass will deliver 10 hours of cloud gaming "each month." This lets users stream their games, not download. Users can play with others using cloud and PC multiplayer. Don't worry; Meta says there will be an option to "download titles from the library for unlimited play."

Synced progression is another major aspect.

If you've been gaming on your Meta VR headset and have swapped to your Xbox, your game progress (saved data) will remain. This will remain constant if you're gaming on an Xbox, PC, Meta Quest headset, or another supported device. Users have chances to earn additional rewards by playing, too. Xbox Game Pass for the Meta Horizon Plus subscription is rolling out today (July 21).

Meta adds, "Your Meta Horizon+ subscription also comes with exclusive deals to help you fill out your Meta Quest library. It’s all yours for just $59.99 USD per year, or $7.99 USD per month. You can even try Meta Horizon+ for a month on us."

Meta & Xbox: once again

There's more to experience soon. Meta says it's working on a way to let users emulate an Xbox gamepad with its Quest Touch controllers. Users can expect this support to roll out over the next few weeks. However, for the time being, users can play their Xbox games on their Quest headset without a controller, or users can pair their controller with their headset for a "traditional experience."

Meta and Xbox together for the sake of games isn't anything new. If you happened to miss it, the two companies collaborated on a Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition in June 2025. This headset was truly a limited edition device. Meta's storefront sold out of them quickly, and many consumers were faced with Best Buy or scalpers (yikes). The Xbox Edition Quest 3S wasn't much different from the standard model. The packaging is where they're different.

There's the classic green and black color scheme from Xbox, as well as a "special edition preinstalled Elite Strap." Consumers received an Xbox controller included with the purchase, which was already paired with the system. Turning it on and playing is always the way to go, and that's what this offered.

Android Central's Take

The emulation for the Meta Touch controllers is pretty cool. Although, I do enjoy classic controller-style gameplay. I typically play on a PC nowadays, but I've been playing on my console more, too. Playing with a controller, lounging. There's nothing better. Meta bringing the Xbox Game Pass into their Horizon Plus subscription service is also a major win for people who love VR and gaming on a VR device. Xbox Game Pass has a pretty good selection of games. If I had one, I'd definitely do it.

What you need to know

• Meta has been pushed to remove Muse Image's capabilities in its AI chatbot on Instagram following user unrest.
• The AI could snag images of people from public Instagram accounts, turning them into unknown creations based on another user's prompt.
• Meta grappled with another privacy concern on its smart glasses, as an update now disables the camera if the privacy light is tampered with.

Meta announced the next step for its "people first" AI era last week, but it didn't sit well with users who saw its intentions for Instagram.

Meta came forward with a statement about its Muse Image AI after extreme user backlash hit the company. Reuters reports that Meta is now "discontinuing" the feature. According to the publication, Meta said, "We've ​heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so ⁠it's no longer available," when referring to Muse Image on Instagram. The company adds that it intended to deliver "a useful creative tool" and to give users "control" over their public imagery.

It's this last part—the user's "control"—that's caused an uproar in its own right. This feature quickly arrived on Instagram last week, but users were opted in for their public content to be used by others, prompting Muse Image in Meta AI. This was done without the knowledge of many, and when they found it, word quickly spread on social media to disable it.

Reuters quotes SAG-AFTRA, the union for actors and more, who said, "Anything other than a clear and conspicuous opt-in for these types of uses of Instagram users' images ​is unacceptable..." The union then highlighted the dangers of "nonconsensual digital ​replicas" as anyone can prompt Muse Image in Meta AI to take someone's photo and turn them into... anything.

What's unclear now is how Meta will proceed with Muse Image. The feature is gone from Instagram, but whether we could see it return in a different, perhaps, more acceptable capacity, isn't clear.

A lack of privacy

There's one thing to have an AI image generator that "creates" something based on the user's prompt. But users have been quick to tell Meta that the alternative, using real people's photos, is a line they're not willing to cross with it. Muse Image was launched last week and was quickly positioned as an image generator built on Muse Spark—new AI for a new era. One aspect that Meta kept pushing was that Muse Image can be "rooted" in your social circles.

This meant that people chatting with Meta AI on Instagram could @-mention their friend (or anyone with a public profile) and tell it to make something. It's not necessarily that the person consented to their photos being used. It's more that, well, their profile is public (or they haven't opted out), so Muse Image can snag it.

This wasn't the only privacy concern Meta had to deal with. Last week, the company rolled out a mandatory update that disabled its smart glasses' camera if the privacy light was tampered with. This update was the result of continued misuse of smart glasses technology, as the public detested "this creepy behavior."

Android Central's Take

I'd say I'm surprised. But I'm not. Right off the bat, the feature seemed strange. This is a big feature to opt everyone into. Most people didn't even realize it was there, or Muse Image's capabilities. Now that they do, it hasn't sat well with them. It's a privacy issue. It's the feeling you get knowing that someone can take your photo and make you look how they want. It's unsettling, and now Meta knows it.

What you need to know

• Meta AI announced Muse Image, its newest image generator that builds off what it started with Muse Spark.
• Muse Image is "rooted" in the user's social circle (or anyone publicly on Instagram), able of adding people into an image if they're @-mentioned.
• The latest AI also brings image generation to WhatsApp chats and 30 new effects for Instagram Stories.

Meta AI introduced us to its new direction with Muse Spark, and now the company's unveiling an AI model for image generation.

Meta got off to a fast start, stating Muse Image is capable of producing "precise edits and more personalized creations through Instagram." What's more, Muse Image pairs well with Muse Spark from its Superintelligent Labs. Muse Spark featured some hefty reasoning capabilities for user prompts, and Meta says the same tech is available in Muse Image. Its image generator understands complex prompts, and it can browse the web for context.

What truly stands out for Muse Image is how Meta says this AI is "rooted in your world." In Meta AI, users can @-mention someone they know from Instagram. The company says Muse Image will bring those profiles' images directly into your AI creations. The AI can only grab publicly available photos. Meta says it's giving users an easy way to manage how their content can be used for AI.

Once Muse Image is done, users can share what the AI created in Instagram Stories and group chat. Speaking of Stories, Meta says Muse Image brings 30 new AI effects for this feature, as well as image generation capabilities in chats on WhatsApp; however, this is starting "in limited countries with more on the way."

The AI's ability to understand the user's prompt is an important aspect. To make this as painless as possible, Meta says Muse Image can understand "simple, conversational language." Other than "high-quality" images, Muse Image can create infographics or how-to guides with fully rendered, legible text. Additionally, Meta says this text will be "styled to match" whatever you're going for, but users can likely tweak this further if necessary.

All about people

The ideas won't flow every day, and that's where Meta AI's "suggested presets" come into play. If you've uploaded a photo, Muse Image will have a few suggestions on what you can do with it. Perhaps you want to restore its former glory or reimagine it with a wacky theme. Elsewhere, Muse Image in Meta AI can help users redesign rooms with products sourced from the web and the Facebook Marketplace.

Moreover, users can edit photos directly in Meta AI, thanks to Muse Image.

While Muse Image's availability is limited for now, the company is preparing to roll it out to more countries and users who have Meta AI. Also, Muse Image is eyeing a home on Facebook and Messenger with additional updates for Instagram and WhatsApp.

Muse Image is the next step for Meta AI after it debuted Muse Spark in April. The company said this AI model was to bring us into a "people first" era. Muse Spark leverages multiple AI agents to handle user tasks with speed and accuracy. Muse Spark can help people create a small minigame and find answers for troubleshooting problems. More than that, Meta says that it wants to bring health assistance to the AI.

The company states that it's been working with over 1,000 physicians to provide curated training data.

What you need to know

• Meta is rolling out a mandatory update that disables the camera entirely if the glasses' privacy light is tampered with or covered.
• Earlier glasses only showed a prompt when the LED was covered, but users bypassed it by drilling holes or using mods.
• Meta will also remove ads and posts promoting tampering services and take action against any accounts linked to them.
• The change follows growing misuse of Meta's AI glasses and public backlash over the company ignoring the issue for so long.

Something that should've been here from day one has finally happened. Meta is rolling out an update that blocks users from recording with its smart glasses if they tamper with the privacy light.

Smart glasses are inherently a privacy nightmare. To this day, plenty of people don't realize that the glowing LED on Meta's AI glasses means they're being recorded, and Meta has finally taken a step to curb this creepy behavior.

The company has started rolling out a mandatory update for all Ray-Ban Meta and Meta's new glasses that will now disable the camera entirely if the privacy light is destroyed or tampered with.

Starting with its second-generation glasses, Meta tried to stop users from covering the LED with tape or other objects by showing a prompt asking them to uncover the recording light before continuing.

Tampering with the privacy light now kills the camera

Even then, users found workarounds like drilling into the holes, and modders came up with more sophisticated methods, but that shouldn't be possible anymore.

In its latest FAQ, Meta explains that the camera will now be physically disabled if the glasses detect that the privacy light has been tampered with or covered.

The company also says it's working across its platforms to remove ads and posts advertising these kinds of tampering services, and that it will take action against any accounts tied to them.

There's been growing misuse of Meta's AI glasses, along with plenty of public backlash over the company failing to address this creepy behavior sooner. It seems Meta has finally listened, and this is an important privacy change.

It's also worth noting that the update will be mandatory for all Meta and Ray-Ban Meta users.

Android Central's Take

About time, honestly. Meta let this creepy behavior slide for far too long, and it took public backlash to force a fix. I'm glad it's here, but I can't help wondering why it wasn't baked in from the start.

What you need to know

• Meta AI glasses announce major golfing integrations coming to the U.S. and Canada as 18Birdies and Arccos enter with hands-free AI assistance.
• Users will receive a "voice-first experience" while golfing, capable of telling the AI to "start a round of golf" and receive shooting tips, club recommendations, hazard alerts, and more.
• Other Meta glasses, such as the Oakley Meta Vanguard, have been praised previously for enhancing the experience for athletes.

Golf isn't for the weak. It takes patience, skill, and understanding, and now Meta is looking to take advantage of its AI spectacles to help you strike like a pro.

Today (July 1), Meta announced that it's rolling out a "new era" of Athletic Intelligence for its AI glasses for golfers. The company's Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, and Meta Glasses are receiving significant golf integration, thanks to 18Birdies and Arccos. Of course, such integration is nothing without the user's choice of preferred app, and that's exactly what Meta is providing.

After deciding, users will experience a "voice-first golf experience" that delivers information about their game as they play. Course data, wind conditions, your performance data, club recommendations, and more will be spoken to you by Meta AI. Bringing 18Birdies and Arccos into the mix unlocks a whole new level of golf. Meta states that, with 18Birdies, users can say, "Hey Meta, start a round of golf." Yardage details, hazard warnings, and more become clear, all without you needing to ruin your focus.

Arccos handles the master-level recommendations for which club might earn you better results. Oakley showed off a demo of how Meta AI's golf integration can help a user figure out their aim and which club to use. The AI is specific, detailing how the hole is on the land, so you understand why the recommendation was given. When a round concludes, Meta AI alongside Arccos can deliver "insights into your play by accessing strokes-gained analytics, connecting with coaches on Skillest, and tracking your improvement over time."

Always go for a hole-in-one

Meta says its AI-integrated golfing experience is here to lend a hand in strategy while you're teeing off. What's more, users can capture POV photos and videos while they play to share with others. Integration with 18Birdies and Arccos is rolling out in the U.S. and Canada for Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta, and the Meta Glasses.

Meta highlighted an important pair of AI glasses in this announcement: the Oakley Meta Vanguard. The company's Oakley Meta HSTN was also mentioned as a pair of frames that enhance the experience for athletes. Regarding the Meta Vanguard, they're pretty handy to have for runners, hikers, and cyclists. The glasses feature strong integration with Garmin, letting users ask Meta about their "average/current pace" when on a run.

Android Central's Take

Golf has been recommended to me before on a couple of different occasions. What's gotten me interested in Meta's integrations, from an outsider's perspective, is how useful its AI seems. Those Instagram vids are a treat to watch, I'd encourage you to do so if you haven't. The user can ask about anything pertaining to their score, how their score is trending, and even how to strike the ball. All I'm missing is an arc to show up mid-strike it does in video games and we're set.

What you need to know

• Discord announced that it has a native app launcher available for the Meta Quest 2, Quest Pro, and Quest 3 series models on the Horizon App Store.
• The app will function similarly to what users would receive on their phone or PC, with servers, texts, group DMs, and more available.
• Meta Quest also features a Steam app, capable of streaming PCVR games directly to the headset.

Discord is a popular app among gamers and friends. The app gained even more popularity a few years back, and now it's rolling out on Meta's VR headsets.

Discord announced that its app is now available on Meta Quest, and users will find a familiar experience. Users with a Meta Quest 2, Quest Pro, or Quest 3 series model can download Discord via the Horizon App Store. The company says it's breaking free from the Quest's browser. Now, after downloading, users will find their Discord servers, DMs, Group DMs, and more, as they would on their phone or PC client.

Meta Quest users will also benefit from their previously created "Meta Avatars." Discord says users can join video calls as their avatar. What's more, streaming content from your PC is a common occurrence on Discord. With the Meta Quest, users can stream the VR game they're playing while wearing their headset.

Discord worked on a refined experience that's true to the Meta Quest as its app hits the store. Users can open Discord and pin its contents to their viewing space. This gives you an easy route to join/exit a server, send a quick text, or start streaming. Users getting started can check the FAQ if there are any issues.

Also, Meta informed Android Central that from June 30 to September 30, "users who download and sign into Discord on Meta Quest can claim one month of Discord Nitro." Nitro is its subscription service, and claiming this would unlock HD streaming, 500MB file uploads, profile/avatar customization, custom emojis, and more.

Hey, join VC

Gamers got a wondrous app on the Meta Quest via Valve's Steam library. Steam is a massive entry point for PC gaming. Thousands of new and old titles are available there, and now Meta's VR headsets are in on it. The "Meta-approved" Steam Link app lets users (Quest 2 and Quest 3) play PCVR games. Basically, what you're doing is streaming these titles to your VR headset. Users need Steam installed and a Wi-Fi 5 router (at least) to begin.

Then, from your PC, you'll need to enable remote play for this connection to work. We've essentially got the full PC gamer package now: Steam and Discord. VR gamers are eating good, and it's only getting better. Earlier this year, Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, discussed what's going to change the Quest space for games. Bosworth stated that Meta was shifting its focus from first-party developed games to third-party.

Bosworth also stressed that "the narrative that Meta is abandoning VR is obviously false."

Android Central's Take

This sounds like the right call to me. If I had to choose between using Discord in my web browser or a native, well-built client, I'd pick the latter. There's no way I'm fumbling with tabs. Just imagine doing that on a VR headset. I'm sure the UI is fine, but that's not seamless. That's not easy to pick up and ago. That sounds like work, and I'm glad Discord's fixed that.

What you need to know

• Meta is putting a paywall on Conversation Focus, limiting free users to just three hours per month unless they subscribe to Meta One Premium for $20/month.
• The feature runs entirely on the smart glasses, meaning it works offline and doesn't rely on Meta's cloud servers.
• Premium subscribers get up to 15 hours per month, but unused hours don't roll over.

Meta is officially ushering in the subscription era to the hardware sitting right on your face. The company is limiting its Conversation Focus feature on Meta smart glasses to three hours of use per month.

That means if you need more time to listen to the person sitting across from you, you’ll have to cough up $20 a month for a Meta One Premium plan, according to Meta’s updated help page (via The Verge). Conversation Focus, which launched in December 2025, allows you to reduce background noise while making the voice of the person you’re talking to sound a bit more vibrant. It's useful in crowded environments, whether you're in a busier cafe or waiting at a loud airport gate. All you need to do is tell Meta AI to turn it on, and the glasses do the rest.

Here’s the catch, and the reason this change feels so aggressive. Conversation Focus is not a cloud-based, computationally heavy AI tool. It runs entirely on-device. It doesn’t ping Meta’s servers and doesn’t even need an active internet connection. When you purchase the frames outright, you’ve already paid for the chipset that processes the audio.

Meta says the core AI smart glasses experience is free, but once you hit the three-hour limit, the only option is the $20-a-month tier, which bumps your allowance up to 15 hours. Unused hours will not carry over to the next billing period.

When asked about the change, Meta said that three hours is more than enough for the average person and that the subscription is an add-on for “power users,” who also want premium device support. But making it through 180 minutes is surprisingly simple. A few noisy dinner dates, some hours in transit, and a long work meeting will eat up your monthly allowance fast.

Charging users to offset the expensive server costs of cloud AI is one thing, but paywalling local, offline hardware capabilities crosses a new line in the wearables space. That’s a frustrating precedent to set for the tech industry at large.

Android Central's Take

The reason Meta’s Conversation Focus is one of the smartest features the company has put into its glasses; it solves a real-world problem. Which is why putting a timer on a feature that runs locally on hardware you already own feels like an unnecessary cash grab. If that’s the direction Meta is going, I’d much rather see subscriptions limited to cloud-powered AI features that actually cost money to operate — not for things your own smart glasses can already do for themselves.

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.