Spotify Prepares for XR Debut: New Beta Leak Reveals Smart Glasses Support with Real-Time Lyrics and ‘Now Playing’ Overlays

Mumbai, March 17: Spotify is reportedly laying the groundwork for its debut on extended reality smart glasses, according to findings within its latest Android beta application. The streaming giant appears to be developing a streamlined interface designed specifically for the emerging wearable market, prioritising glanceable information such as a “Now Playing” screen and real-time synchronised lyrics. This move aligns with the broader industry shift as tech leaders like Google, Samsung and Meta prepare to release sophisticated XR hardware in 2026.

According to a report by Android Authority, the beta code reveals early signs of a lightweight overlay that would allow users to see track details and follow along with lyrics directly in their line of sight. Unlike a full application port, this experience is expected to rely on a paired smartphone to handle the heavy processing, projecting the visual interface onto the glasses. This architecture follows Google’s current Android XR developer guidelines, which focus on preserving battery life and reducing heat on head-worn devices by tethering them to mobile handsets.

Spotify Integration with Meta AI and Visual Playlists

Beyond basic playback controls, the update is expected to deepen Spotify’s existing partnership with Meta. Recent software updates for Meta’s AI glasses already hint at a multimodal music experience where the glasses can “see” the user’s surroundings. By using the prompt, “Hey Meta, play a song to match this view”, the glasses can process real-time visual data, such as a scenic landscape or a festive setting, to generate a tailored playlist that reflects both the visual mood and the user’s personal listening history.

This contextual awareness represents a departure from traditional recommendation systems that rely solely on genre or past behaviour. For users engaged in activities where using a handheld device is impractical, such as cooking, exercising or navigating busy streets, this hands-free, vision-based curation could become a primary way of interacting with digital audio.

Spotify XR Smart Glasses Specifications and Features

The upcoming XR integration is focused on minimising friction through simple gestures and glanceable tiles. Users will likely be able to control volume, skip tracks and pause music using taps on the temple of the glasses or through simple hand gestures. The dedicated “Lyrics” screen is expected to be a major accessibility feature, allowing users to follow along with tracks without looking down at a screen, effectively turning the user’s environment into a private karaoke zone.

The platform is also reportedly testing a “Taste Profile” tool that allows users to edit the algorithmic model behind their recommendations using plain language prompts. When combined with the smart glasses interface, this could allow for highly specific, voice-controlled adjustments to the music stream in real time. While currently in the beta testing phase, these features are anticipated to roll out to the public later this year as part of Spotify’s push to become the default audio platform for the “eyes-up” computing era.

Spotify Smart Glasses Feature Availability

The smart glasses features are currently being tested within Spotify’s Android beta programme and have not yet reached the stable version of the app. While the Meta AI integration is available in an “Early Access” capacity in select regions, including India, the United States and Canada, the full visual XR interface, including the “Now Playing” and “Lyrics” screens, is expected to coincide with the broader launch of next-generation hardware from Samsung and Google later in 2026.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 17, 2026 05:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).