WhatsApp Beta 2.22.9.13 contains strings and files that suggest the Meta-owned Instant Messaging service is working on allowing users to send messages via Facebook Assistant on its Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses. Before you get your hopes up, keep in mind that some of the strings simply say “Assistant,” but the context for those strings shows that it’s more than likely referring to Facebook Assistant rather than Google Assistant. The Facebook Assistant is the voice assistant of choice for the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses, allowing users to take images and videos on the smart glasses using voice commands. The strings then become self-explanatory. Smart glass users will be able to connect their glasses to their phones’ WhatsApp apps and then use voice commands like “Hey Facebook, message Anna on WhatsApp” to send messages without having to pull their phones out of their pockets.
Ray-Ban Stories haven’t transformed the wearables market, so this is a fairly specific use case. It’s understandable that Meta wants to keep some WhatsApp features in-house and will interact with Facebook Assistant rather than a third-party service.
