In 2025, don't miss the opportunity to join the AI glasses revolution.

01 The Hundred-Player Battle for AI Glasses Commences

From AIPC to AI mobile phones and now to AIPin and AI earphones, hardware manufacturers have been relentless in their pursuit of AI integration. The current front-runner in this race is undoubtedly AI glasses. These devices are seen as the closest to human senses, seamlessly blending into daily life and thus easily accepted by users.

"The AI glasses market has never been this vibrant," said Li Hongwei, CEO of TCL RayNeo. 2025 marks the year of the smart glasses showdown, with almost every technology company jumping on the bandwagon, from startups to giants, and from manufacturing plants to tech enterprises. TCL RayNeo also debuted its first AI glasses, the V3, at this year's CES, priced at 1799 yuan.

The surge in AI glasses began in the latter half of 2024, with companies like Baidu's DuerOS, INMO, Rokid, RespectX, Shanji, DPVR, and Meizu successively unveiling their AI glasses. This flurry of releases has been dubbed "The Hundred-Player Battle for AI Glasses." Even on the eve of 2024, the startup Jianan Technology introduced an AI glasses product priced at 1388 yuan, weighing just 29.2 grams without lenses.

This intensive product launch has reignited excitement for AI glasses and the entire XR industry. Zhou Hongyi, chairman of 360, predicts that AI glasses will become the most fashionable wearable device in 2025, offering services like instant viewing and recording, real-time search for answers, and translation assistance while traveling abroad. These functionalities are eagerly anticipated by many users who thrive on trying new things.

Besides startups, domestic giants are also eager to enter the fray. An industry insider revealed to Digital Frontline that OPPO and vivo are closely monitoring the market but haven't made a final decision. "Their overall attitude is that they're happy to see it succeed," as current AI glasses still need to be tethered to mobile phones and rely on their computing power, rather than functioning as independent hardware devices. However, vivo has revealed that its MR team has grown to 500 people, with plans to launch a prototype experience in September 2025.

Xiaomi is one of the many mobile phone manufacturers that attach great importance to AI glasses. "The project level of AI glasses is now very high," and it plans to launch its product as early as the second quarter of 2025, adopting a dual-system solution: Qualcomm Snapdragon AR2 Gen1 plus Beken's 2700 chip. However, Xiaomi's entry into the market poses a challenge to many startups, prompting them to accelerate their pace.

In November 2024, Baidu's DuerOS launched its first AI glasses at the Baidu World Conference, firing the starting pistol for domestic internet giants to enter the AI glasses market. Digital Frontline learned that DuerOS's launch of AI glasses was preceded by a series of business adjustments. Shen Jian, general manager of DuerOS's Smart Ecosystem Business Department, and Jia Zhenchao, general manager of the Information and Entertainment Business Department, have both left, and these two businesses have been taken over by Chen Yong, who joined from Xiaomi. Chen Yong, previously the head of Xiaomi's XiaoAi speaker product team and responsible for Xiaomi's smart glasses project, is reportedly instrumental in DuerOS's rapid launch of AI glasses.

ByteDance is also working on AI glasses, but according to the above-mentioned source, ByteDance is relatively cautious with new categories and won't rush into the market. China Telecom plans to launch AI glasses in April or May 2025.

Moreover, current AI glasses manufacturers have global ambitions. "None of them aim to sell only domestically; they start with a global perspective," said an industry insider. On one hand, overseas consumers are more receptive to new technologies, and on the other hand, there's also a premium market. "And the domestic market is quite competitive, as I just mentioned, Lei Jun is about to enter."

However, there will be a clear distinction between the overseas and domestic markets in the choice of AI large models. For instance, the domestic version of Shanji AI glasses is equipped with large models like iFLYTEK, CloudMinds, and Tongyi Qianwen, while the overseas version leverages the GPT-4-driven voice assistant for instant help, such as text translation, object recognition, memory of parking spaces, information retrieval, and more.

02 Thanks to Meta, Following Meta

Much of the credit for the explosion of AI glasses goes to Meta.

Meta's first-generation smart glasses, in collaboration with Ray-Ban, were released in 2021 but were lacking in several aspects, with total sales of less than 300,000 units. The second-generation product, however, became a small hit, selling over 2 million units and receiving numerous positive reviews. Even Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg admitted, "We severely underestimated the demand for it."

The popularity of AI glasses is closely tied to advancements in technology itself.

For instance, in terms of cameras, Ray-Ban Meta is equipped with a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens that supports 1080P/60fps video recording, and the storage space has been increased from 4GB to 32GB, fulfilling users' daily shooting needs, transitioning from merely usable to highly functional. In terms of open-ear headphones, the second-generation glasses also optimized issues related to sound leakage and distortion.

These smart glasses weigh just 5g more than ordinary sunglasses, maximizing the wearing experience of traditional glasses. Additionally, they integrate wireless headphones, reducing the carrying burden on users. Users no longer need to reach for headphones and mobile phones when making phone calls, listening to music and voice messages, or participating in online meetings, solving several user pain points.

Another crucial factor is the evolution of AI large models. Shi Qing, chairman of Emdoor, told Digital Frontline that the popularity of AI glasses has little to do with XR but is tied to the increasing power of AI. In April 2024, Meta equipped its AI glasses with the Llama 3 large model, leading to a qualitative improvement in AI functionality, assisting in processing text, audio, and visual information captured by smart glasses, such as recognizing objects in front of you and providing real-time translation.

"AI glasses have undergone a fundamental shift in logic; they are no longer just a product for consuming content but a tool for generating content," said Shi Qing.

Many users have reported that AI glasses don't look much different from ordinary glasses, and their weight and price are acceptable. Whether listening to music or capturing daily snapshots, they offer new experiences, and users can engage in conversations with AI anytime and anywhere. These features make them willing to try AI glasses.

Consumers have shown immense enthusiasm for AI glasses. For example, on the day Shanji opened pre-sales (with a 10 yuan deposit), 50,000 AI glasses were sold out. The AI glasses of the startup Looktech have garnered over 2,300 supporters on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, with subscription amounts far exceeding the initial crowdfunding goal. Meta's AI glasses were also out of stock for a period.

Domestic players have sensed the trend and have been frequently releasing new products since November. "The entire situation is completely out of control; it's too hot."

However, an XR industry insider bluntly stated, "People in the industry are almost desperate to do XR and don't know what the purpose is." Despite years of effort, there hasn't been much improvement, and sales haven't increased significantly, causing many companies to struggle.

The above-mentioned source reflected that many AR and VR manufacturers in the past innovated merely for the sake of innovation. "Everyone claimed to be a high-tech company with cool hacker-level products, but users didn't buy it."

Apple's Vision Pro is also facing a similar dilemma. Although widely recognized as the pinnacle of current XR devices, its market performance is underwhelming. Previous internet sensation products like AI Pin and Rabbit R1 have faced similar issues, with users finding them cumbersome and inefficient in interaction, ultimately making them fleeting fads.

"The devices currently on the market are no longer those that are overly advanced or claimed to be fully functional," said Leo Gebbie, chief analyst at CCS Insights. "Instead, they are head-mounted displays tailored to specific scenarios and needs."

Meta has provided the industry with a valuable insight – AI glasses don't have to be overly complex. The product in collaboration with Ray-Ban is a fashion item with technological attributes, and the price is comparable to ordinary Ray-Ban glasses, making it appealing to many potential users. Moreover, Meta's design excludes a display screen, reducing the technical difficulty and cost of the product.

EssilorLuxottica, Meta's partner in glasses, once revealed that Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are the best-selling product in 60% of Ray-Ban stores in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Currently, a group of Meta followers has emerged in China. For example, Shanji, TCL RayNeo, and Xiaomi are all模仿Meta's approach, with Shanji's new product priced at less than 1000 yuan, while glasses with AR functionality are typically priced at 2000-3000 yuan or more.

03 Behind the Hype, the Market Needs New Stories

However, it's not difficult to notice that despite the excitement, many domestic AI glasses have been announced but are still in the pre-order stage, with many not providing a definite shipping date. Some don't even have demo units after the press conference, earning criticism as "PPT launches."

There may be several reasons behind this. Firstly, as a new category, companies hope to make strategic moves based on market feedback. Secondly, there are numerous startups in this space, and hardware poses significant inventory and capital pressures. Many collect deposits in advance to establish inventory data.

Capital and the market also crave new narratives, and the hottest topic right now is AI. The stories about VR and AR have been heard too many times, and even Apple hasn't been able to truly bring Vision Pro to the mass market. Both AI glasses and AI+AR sound more appealing.

Everyone hopes to release products as soon as possible before the AI glasses craze wanes, and the concentrated launch has invisibly boosted the popularity of this category, helping this new sector break out of its niche.

For example, the share price of CloudMinds, Shanji's partner, surged 15% the day after Shanji's AI glasses were released. Additionally, AI glasses concept stocks such as Bosse Eyewear, Emdoor Information, Jiahe Intelligence, and GoerTek have seen their share prices soar in the past six months.

Furthermore, pre-orders are also related to the complexity of the product itself. Zhang Bo, founder of Shanji, mentioned that there are currently two major challenges for AI glasses. One is that the product needs to be extremely lightweight, but the craftsmanship of the temples and materials is highly demanding, and the structure is very complex, so considerable efforts are needed to improve mass production. The other is the challenge of battery life. A selling point of AI glasses is all-day wear, but even Meta's products can only achieve a battery life of three to four hours.

"Many teams are now less than 100 people, not on the same scale as Meta. Do you think it's possible for us to work faster than others?" said Shi Qing. He earnestly hopes that those who release products early will indeed produce quality products and set higher benchmarks for the industry; otherwise, it will be another fleeting trend.

Shi Qing believes that the supply chain for AI glasses, including chip supply, is not a significant issue. "As long as you have money, you can buy it in this industry now." However, product refinement still takes time because glasses are delicate, with limited space, and need to be lightweight and shatter-resistant, akin to operating in a narrow space, which also involves topics of security and privacy. "Not many companies will be able to sell in large quantities in the first quarter of next year."

Moreover, the initial production yield of AI glasses will be very low. Meta has also encountered similar challenges and has been working on them for a long time. According to an industry insider, not long ago, an enterprise's AI glasses took half a year to be properly tuned, and domestic suppliers will face the challenge of ramping up production capacity.

04 Key Challenges Yet to Be Overcome

There is considerable disagreement in the market about AI glasses. For example, in terms of product solutions, AI glasses and AR glasses are considered different species, with one of their core differences being the presence of a display screen.

Many people view AI glasses as a transitional product that will eventually evolve into AR glasses. Li Hongwei, CEO of TCL RayNeo, predicts that in the next one or two years, the sales volume of AI glasses will significantly outpace that of AR glasses. However, around 2027, the open growth of AR glasses is expected to surpass that of AI glasses, with AR glasses integrating all the functionalities of current products.

Therefore, for now, many companies have launched AR glasses with display lenses but highlight the AI concept, labeling them as AI+AR.

For instance, the product jointly launched by Rokid and Bolon features display lenses and is priced at 2499 yuan. However, industry insiders believe that Rokid is dependent on its technical path because AR is Rokid's strength. "If they also make ones without a display, they will first lose their core competency, and second, it will be difficult to compete on cost when it comes to price wars."

An industry insider told Digital Frontline that adding a display can resolve issues related to information display and interaction, as voice interaction is far less efficient than graphical and textual interaction. Moreover, without a display, composing a shot while taking photos is impossible, and there may be issues with blurring and angle that users cannot immediately recognize.

Nevertheless, numerous individuals have highlighted that incorporating display lenses poses significant challenges in terms of cost, weight, battery life, and heat dissipation of glasses, rendering them unsuitable for prolonged wear. For instance, these products typically retail for 2000-3000 yuan and can obstruct the user's line of sight, thereby affecting their wearing habits. "While I believe display lenses will undoubtedly become a feature in the future, substantial improvements in the near term are unlikely."

Leo Gebbie asserts: "Integrating a display screen into smart glasses presents numerous hurdles. This entails a series of technical challenges that necessitate innovative solutions, which we are currently grappling with."

Furthermore, ecosystem integration poses a potential challenge. Ray-Ban Meta showcases the feasibility of integrating with social media platforms, enabling live streaming and video conference participation through Facebook or Instagram connections.

Domestically, however, such capabilities have yet to be demonstrated. Zhang Bo, the founder of Shanji, revealed that both Xiaohongshu and Douyin have declined to open interfaces for AI glasses, effectively barring these products from live streaming on social platforms. "Our primary focus is not on live streaming. We aim to make it technically feasible, but the issue primarily lies with interface access."

Another individual who has interfaced with Douyin and Tencent Meeting believes that these major platforms have stringent requirements regarding privacy and product maturity. "They view even minor modifications as significant undertakings."

Apart from technological hurdles, privacy ethics represents another major challenge. AI glasses equipped with cameras resemble ordinary glasses, potentially leading to misunderstandings in public spaces like restrooms. "Such incidents can easily escalate into larger issues, harming the entire industry." Consequently, Shi Qing advocates that mandatory reminders when taking photos with AI glasses should become an industry standard. Additionally, consumer habits and social perceptions present another issue, the cultivation of which may be a protracted process.

"Someone must remain optimistic and dive in, while others must forge ahead and navigate potential pitfalls. In reality, we are already trailing behind Meta, so we consider ourselves fortunate," said Shi Qing.