In a revealing interview, Meta Platforms Inc.’s chief technology officer, Andrew Bosworth, expressed frustration over the limitations imposed by Apple Inc. on integrating iMessage with Meta’s new AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses. The glasses, unveiled at Meta Connect 2025, promise advanced features like real-time AI assistance and hands-free communication, but users on iOS devices are left out of seamless messaging due to Apple’s restrictive API policies. Bosworth candidly stated that Meta would “love” to enable iMessage functionality, allowing wearers to send and receive texts without pulling out their phones, yet Apple’s refusal to open up its messaging ecosystem has blocked this possibility.

This standoff highlights ongoing tensions between tech giants over interoperability in wearable devices. Meta’s Ray-Bans, priced at $299 and equipped with cameras, microphones, and AI from Meta’s Llama models, aim to blend augmented reality with everyday eyewear. However, without access to Apple’s proprietary APIs, the glasses can only handle basic SMS on iPhones, leaving iMessage—a staple for millions of Apple users—off-limits. Industry observers note this as another chapter in Apple’s “walled garden” approach, which prioritizes user privacy and ecosystem control but often stifles third-party innovation.

Challenges in Cross-Platform Integration

Bosworth’s comments came amid a broader discussion on Meta’s ambitions for its wearables division, as detailed in a recent piece from Business Insider. He pointed out that while Android users enjoy full integration with services like WhatsApp and Google Messages, Apple’s ecosystem remains a barrier. This isn’t Meta’s first brush with such restrictions; similar issues have plagued app developers seeking deeper iOS integrations, from health data sharing to notification handling.

The implications extend beyond messaging. For Meta, which is betting big on mixed-reality hardware to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro, these API limitations could slow adoption among iPhone loyalists, who represent a significant portion of the premium wearable market. Analysts estimate that over 50% of smartphone users in the U.S. are on iOS, making Apple’s gatekeeping a potential roadblock for Meta’s growth strategy. Bosworth suggested that regulatory scrutiny, such as ongoing antitrust probes into Apple’s App Store practices, might eventually force more openness.

Technical Glitches and Broader Ambitions

The Ray-Ban launch wasn’t without hiccups. At Meta Connect, live demos of the glasses’ AI features faltered due to what Bosworth later explained as a software bug causing an internal denial-of-service issue, not just poor Wi-Fi as initially blamed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Coverage from TechCrunch delved into this postmortem, where Bosworth admitted the team “missed an opportunity for legendary status” but emphasized rapid iterations in AI hardware.

Despite these setbacks, Meta is pushing forward with ambitious updates. The glasses now include experimental features like real-time translation and object recognition, powered by on-device AI to minimize latency. Bosworth, in interviews, has positioned 2025 as a “pivotal year” for Meta’s Reality Labs, with prototypes for ultra-wide AR headsets on the horizon, as reported by WebProNews.

Regulatory and Competitive Pressures

Apple’s stance on APIs isn’t isolated; it’s part of a pattern that has drawn criticism from rivals and regulators alike. The European Union’s Digital Markets Act, for instance, is pressuring Apple to allow more third-party access, which could indirectly benefit devices like Meta’s Ray-Bans. Bosworth alluded to this in his remarks, hoping for a future where “interoperability wins out,” potentially enabling features like cross-platform video calls or shared AR experiences.

For industry insiders, this episode underscores the high stakes in the battle for wearable dominance. Meta’s partnership with EssilorLuxottica for the Ray-Ban line has already sold millions of units, but full iOS compatibility could accelerate that. As Bosworth told Business Insider Africa, the tech world is watching whether Apple’s defenses hold or if external forces pry them open.

Future Prospects for Wearable AI

Looking ahead, Meta’s CTO predicts AI will reshape software engineering, creating tiers of capability among developers who master it versus those who don’t, as he shared in an earlier Business Insider interview. For the Ray-Bans, this means ongoing enhancements, possibly including workarounds for iMessage if Apple relents.

Ultimately, the iMessage impasse serves as a microcosm of broader ecosystem rivalries. While Meta innovates aggressively, Apple’s control ensures its users stay within its orbit, challenging competitors to find creative paths forward. As wearable tech evolves, resolutions to these integration hurdles will determine who leads in the next era of personal computing.