# Bluetooth-Scanning Privacy Apps Nearby Glasses by Yves Jeanrenaud Alerts Users of Smart Glasses By Colin Smith | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-03-06 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nearby-glasses References: [gizmodo](https://gizmodo.com/want-to-know-if-glassholes-are-using-smart-glasses-near-you-theres-an-app-for-that-2000726480)  Nearby Glasses is a smartphone app developed by Yves Jeanrenaud that detects nearby [camera-equipped smart glasses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/samsung-intelligent-eyewear), featuring a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) scanner that reads advertising frames to identify known eyewear broadcasts. The app was rolled out on the Google Play Store and published on [GitHub](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/polar-ai-browser), with an iOS port announced as in development. Its detection relies on a curated directory of BLE manufacturers to flag signals linked to brands such as Meta, [Snap](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/AI-powered-AR-eyewear) and Luxottica Group. The tool can produce false positives, for example misidentifying VR headsets, and the developer warns users it is imperfect. For consumers, Nearby Glasses offers a practical layer of situational awareness against covert recording, helping people avoid unwanted exposure and underscoring growing demand for tech that counters pervasive wearables surveillance. Image Credit: Yves Jeanrenaud ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.8/10 - Popularity: 68% | Activity: 68% | Freshness: 67% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Wearables-detection Apps:** Growing consumer demand for BLE-based scanners that identify nearby camera-equipped eyewear highlights gaps in privacy-aware mobile utilities. - **Curated BLE Manufacturer Directories:** The emergence of curated manufacturer signal repositories reveals potential for standardized identity frameworks that reduce false positives across device classes. - **Cross-platform Privacy Tools:** Interest in Android-to-iOS ports points to a market for interoperable privacy apps that maintain detection fidelity across mobile ecosystems. ### Who This Affects Most - **Mobile Software:** Apps combining BLE scanning with crowdsourced signal databases could redefine personal privacy layers within smartphone ecosystems. - **Consumer Privacy Services:** A service layer offering situational awareness about covert recording devices would create new value propositions for privacy-concerned consumers. - **Wearable Hardware Manufacturers:** Demand for transparent broadcast protocols from eyewear brands indicates an opening for hardware standards that balance functionality with detectability. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Cinema-Scale AR Smart Glasses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightweight-ar-glasses.md) - [Real-Time Performance-Tracking Eyewear Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-eyewear1.md) - [Collaborative Smart Glasses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/collaborative-smart-glasses.md) - [Elevated Smart Glasses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rayban-smart-glasses.md) - [Accessibility-Focused Wireless Technologies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bluetooth-special-interest-group.md) - [Genie-Like AI Eyewear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ainoon-ai-smart-glasses.md) - [Automatic Screen Privacy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eyefocus-privacy-app.md) - [Internet-Free Messaging Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bitchat.md) - [Phone Locator Alerts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fingerfind.md)