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.
