Meta is rolling out two firmware updates at once for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses: versions v128 and v129. The first brings walking navigation that works by voice and doesn't require taking out your phone. The second handles fine-tuning of sound for people with different hearing in each ear. Both updates arrive gradually, so different owners will see them at different times.
The main novelty of v128 is voice-guided walking routes. You simply say "Hey Meta, navigate to Times Square," and the glasses begin announcing turns, relying on the geolocation of the connected smartphone. If the destination is too far to walk, Meta AI doesn't try to guide the driver by voice: full driving instructions are sent to the phone. There's also a workaround: in the maps app, find the place you need, tap "Share," select Meta AI — and navigation starts right on the glasses.
The coverage is still limited. Meta names the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, as well as "select cities" in other countries, but the company does not publish a list of cities. The feature itself is listed as a beta. For context: the display-equipped Ray-Ban Meta Display model, priced at 799 dollars, could show such routes before, but with visual cues right in the lens. Version v128 brings the idea to glasses without a screen.
The same update introduced Spatial Audio — immersive sound for music and podcasts. You can turn it on in the settings: Audio → Spatial. Keep in mind that there is no confirmed data that the effect also extends to voice navigation prompts, so you shouldn't expect spatial sound specifically in navigation. In addition, v128 strengthened the recording indicator's protection: if the LED is covered or altered, the camera turns off.
Version v129 is dedicated to audio accessibility, and here there are two tools. Mono Audio makes both speakers play the same thing — useful if one ear hears worse than the other, since sound is no longer lost on the "deaf" side. Audio Balance shifts the balance left or right in steps until the sound feels comfortable. Both modes can be found under Device settings → Audio → Accessibility. An important caveat: these settings change only the sound produced by the glasses themselves — Meta AI responses and notifications — not everything you listen to from your phone.
The rollout status differs. The navigation from v128 is already widely available in the Meta AI app, while the audio changes of v129 are only just beginning to roll out. Meta warns in advance that new features may appear gradually, so the company does not give exact timelines for full coverage.
For owners of Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 and Gen 3, this is a typical example of how the platform evolves: capabilities are added through firmware, without new hardware. Spatial Audio, for example, works with Gen 2 optics and the Meta Glasses collection. And the new Gen 3 model with nine hours of battery life and a price starting at 449 dollars already shipped with this software.
If hands-free operation and precise sound tuning matter to you, check for updates in the Meta AI app right now. The firmware is installed through the app, not through the glasses themselves, and if v129 hasn't arrived yet, you can already use navigation today.
