Meta is expanding the capabilities of its Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses with new features that enable virtual handwriting on platforms such as WhatsApp , Messenger , Instagram , and Android and iOS messaging apps . This innovative technology leverages the included neural wristband that uses electromyography (EMG) to detect electrical signals from the wrist muscles.
The virtual writing feature was one of the most anticipated features of the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, but it wasn't available at the initial launch. In January 2026, Meta began providing early access to the feature for WhatsApp and Messenger, and is now expanding it to all users and more platforms.
See also: Lawsuit against Meta for Ray-Ban Meta glasses
Beyond virtual writing, Meta is introducing several other upgrades to the smart glasses. One notable feature, called “display recording,” allows users to record videos that combine what users see on the lens’s screen, their real-world surroundings, and the audio around them. At the same time, navigation directions are now available across the United States and in major international cities like London, Paris , and Rome.
Additionally, Meta has given developers the ability to create apps for the Meta Ray-Ban Display (in developer preview), allowing the development of web applications for the glasses.
See also: Meta's smart glasses bring Gemini-style voice commands to Ray-Ban and Oakley
Finally, Live captions will also be available on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger , and for voice messages in Instagram DMs.
Meta Ray-Ban: Competition and Meta's strategic position in the market
Meta is not alone in promoting AI glasses , but is among the first to combine a consumer-friendly partnership with a fashion brand, a camera/voice assistant platform, and a display that users can do a lot with.
See also: Meta: Preview of Artificial Intelligence Features in Ray-Ban Smart Glasses
The market is shifting from bulky AR headsets to lighter AI glasses that look like regular glasses. This is important because consumers have shown a greater willingness to wear fashionable glasses than headset-like devices. The broader AR/VR/XR is already worth tens of billions of dollars annually, while the smart glasses subcategory is much smaller but growing rapidly.
