Games, Youtube, Fitness: Developers make Meta Ray-Ban Display more versatile
From YouTube to "Ghost Runs" to smart home control: First developer apps expand the possibilities of the Meta Ray-Ban Display.
A Twitch app for Meta Ray-Ban Display displays live streams and controls in your field of vision.
(Image: youtube.com/nathie)
Meta opened up its first smart glasses with a display to developers in mid-May. So-called Web Apps have since proven to be particularly popular with developers. These are mini-applications based on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which can be developed and tested in a browser and then launched on the glasses via URL. Control is via the Meta Neural Band and touch surfaces on the glasses.
Currently, these tools are limited to a developer preview. There is no app store or official distribution channel for applications yet. Developers share their experiments in a developer subreddit set up by Meta, on LinkedIn, and on social media.
The diversity of web apps that have emerged since the developer tools were released is already evident there. The applications range from simple games and practical everyday helpers to experimental apps for Tiktok, Reddit, and YouTube.
A broad spectrum
Among the first developer-side video game adaptations are classics like “Snake”, “Breakout”, and “Tetris”, but also a port of the first-person shooter “Doom”. Other developers are experimenting with game concepts specifically tailored to the glasses' capabilities. For example, in “Arrow Beats”, users control a rhythm game with swipe gestures, while in “Head Dodge”, they dodge obstacles with head movements.
One developer has created a gamified running app that allows users to compete against themselves based on previous Strava runs (see LinkedIn). The idea is reminiscent of so-called ghost runs, familiar from fitness apps and sports watches, but shifts the route and opponent display directly into the field of vision. Also in the fitness context is a speedometer app that displays speed, distance, and running or driving time in real time.
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Control apps are also among the first experiments: one application allows controlling smart home devices directly via the glasses, another can unlock compatible vehicles and display information such as battery level or interior temperature. One developer has also succeeded in controlling the open-source robot Reachy Mini via the glasses (see X).
In addition to obvious everyday helpers like a recipe app with step-by-step instructions and a to-do list for reminders, there are also purely informational apps. These include applications that display sports results or cryptocurrency prices directly in the field of vision. The first unofficial apps for YouTube, Tiktok, Reddit, Twitch, and Discord are also available. The range of functions is still limited in some cases, but it shows that even more complex online services can be transferred to the small display of the glasses.
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A preview of full-fledged AR glasses
The examples underscore that a display can significantly expand the possibilities of smart glasses. Even if the display, as in the case of the Meta Ray-Ban Display, only covers a field of vision of around 20 degrees and is only visible to the right eye.
Smart glasses with integrated displays are in an early development phase, are significantly pricier than models without displays, and are therefore far from the mass market. Nevertheless, at Meta and other companies, work is already underway on the next stage of development: full-fledged AR glasses with a wide field of vision, 3D representation, and spatial understanding of the environment, which could go beyond the mere display of information.
Meta Ray-Ban Display is currently only available in the USA due to delivery bottlenecks. EU regulations for batteries and AI functions also stand in the way of its introduction in Europe. It is still unclear when the smart glasses will be released here.
(vbr)
