On September 23, 2026, Meta announced a set of updates for Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, including hands-free navigation, a hologram designed for calls, and the Explore app for experiences designed for the glasses, along with expanded geographic availability and the launch of online ordering in new markets.
Navigation Based on the Surrounding Scene
The glasses will display step-by-step guidance for cycling routes and real-time departure times for public transportation after users request them by voice, allowing the phone to remain in their pocket. These features will begin later in September in the United States and Canada.
For walking directions, the glasses will use landmarks in the world in front of the user rather than relying only on street names; they might direct the user to turn at a yellow house instead of giving only an abstract street name. In practice, this approach links the instructions to what the user sees, but the source did not explain the level of accuracy in recognizing landmarks or how changes in the environment are handled.
Hologram for Calls via WhatsApp
After a short selfie capture within the Meta AI app, a realistic digital version of the user’s face can be created for use during calls from the glasses. The hologram is controlled entirely by voice, while the model infers facial expressions from the content of the speech and the way it is delivered.
The feature will begin as a trial rollout through the Early Access program on WhatsApp for Meta Ray-Ban Display users in the United States during this fall. This indicates that the feature is not yet generally available, and the source also did not provide details about processing selfie-capture data or privacy controls.
Additional Experiences and Applications
Meta will soon make the Explore app available on the glasses and in the Meta AI app for browsing a growing collection of experiences designed for learning, exploration, and entertainment. The company also says that its glasses equipped with Meta AI capabilities are the first consumer device to enable video capture with spatial Dolby Atmos audio, providing more immersive surround playback.
The updates also include a calendar that allows users to see meeting participants, accept or decline invitations, and join meetings from the glasses. These features are available in English in the United States. Mirrored phone notifications will later appear on the glasses’ display, with the ability to choose which notifications the user wants to stop, and users will also be able to follow Community Feeds in Threads and repost posts from them.
What Changes in Practice?
The updates move the glasses beyond photo capture and voice assistance toward displaying contextual information connected to locations, schedules, and calls. However, most features are tied to specific markets, languages, or rollout stages: the new navigation begins in the United States and Canada, the calendar is available in English in the United States, and the hologram will first enter early testing on WhatsApp.
Availability and New Markets
Online ordering began in the United States on September 23. Online and retail sales began in Canada and the United Kingdom on the same day, with Vancouver, Toronto, and London designated as sales locations. In France, Italy, and Germany, preorders will begin gradually on September 23, while online ordering and retail sales will begin on October 13 in Paris, Milan, Rome, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich.
Prescription support will be available in France and Italy through Essilor Luxottica Optical stores starting October 13, and will arrive later in the year in Germany.