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.