On January 5th, according to Lan Jing News, ByteDance's "Doubao" AI glasses are about to enter the shipping stage. The product is reportedly equipped with a self-developed spatial algorithm chip, weighing less than 50 grams, and supports collaboration with the Doubao App. Multiple versions will be launched in the future, including options with or without camera functionality and with or without display modules. The starting price is expected to be kept below 2,000 yuan, with joint R&D, mass production, and delivery by Longcheer Technology. However, on the same day as the news broke, The Beijing News's Beike Finance (Beike Finance and Economics) sought verification, and ByteDance quickly responded, stating that the rumors were false and that there was currently no definite sales plan.

This "glasses controversy," which lasted only a few hours from the initial report to the denial, has sparked widespread market attention regarding ByteDance's hardware strategy. On one hand, there are specific parameters, collaboration models, and release timelines from the supply chain; on the other hand, there is ByteDance's urgent denial. However, the overlapping signals from both sides indicate that ByteDance is not indifferent to AI hardware but is waiting for the right moment to make its move.

Despite the official denial, existing information suggests that the R&D path for these AI glasses has already commenced. According to media reports, multiple industry chain sources revealed that the product was initiated less than a year ago, with software and hardware jointly developed by ByteDance and Longcheer Technology. R&D is carried out at Longcheer's Huizhou factory, with mass production handled by its Nanchang factory. Longcheer is responsible for the underlying UI, while ByteDance leads the upper-layer App to achieve deep integration between the Doubao App and the terminal. The product will be released in stages, with a screenless version expected in the first quarter of this year and a version with display capabilities set to debut in the fourth quarter.

If this is merely seen as ByteDance's technological preparation, then when combined with its previous actions, it forms a complete AI hardware matrix. In December 2025, according to the Kuaishangbao Daily, ByteDance's Doubao team released a technical preview version of a mobile phone assistant, collaborating with phone manufacturers to integrate AI assistant capabilities at the operating system level. They also launched the first engineering prototype, the Nubia M153, priced at 3,499 yuan and limitedly sold to developers, quickly selling out and even commanding a 3,500 yuan premium on the secondary market. Going back further, in 2024, ByteDance launched the AI earphones Ola Friend, which also operates in tandem with the Doubao App, emphasizing AI voice interaction. Earphones, mobile phones, and glasses—three terminal nodes centered around one App—constitute the initial form of Doubao's AI ecosystem of "light hardware + strong services."

Peng Deyu, a well-known technology industry commentator, analyzed for Guanchao Technology Pro that unlike traditional smart hardware manufacturers, ByteDance is not attempting to profit from hardware sales itself but is instead trying to build a distribution network centered around "Doubao." From the App to terminals, from voice to images, from assistants to perception entry points, Doubao is expanding its touchpoints through devices, embedding "seamless" AI capabilities into users' daily scenarios. Even though Doubao glasses have not yet officially launched, the strategic signal they release is extremely clear: ByteDance does not view hardware as the endpoint but as an "opening move" to control AI distribution rights.

This strategic intent is particularly crucial in the current industry landscape. AI glasses are becoming a key battleground for major players competing for the "next-generation human-computer interaction entry point" after mobile phones. Alibaba, Baidu, Xiaomi, Li Auto, and other manufacturers have already entered the market and are rapidly scaling up.

In November 2025, Alibaba's Kuake AI glasses quickly sold out after their release, with shipping periods extending up to 45 days and second-hand market prices soaring to 4,000-5,000 yuan. Baidu's Xiaodu AI glasses Pro, featuring real-time translation and photography capabilities, were officially launched at the end of 2025. Li Auto and Xiaomi also released AI glasses priced starting at 1,999 yuan, emphasizing in-car collaboration and imaging experiences, respectively.

Positive changes are also occurring at the market level. According to the "Global Smart Glasses Model Shipment Tracking" report released by research firm Counterpoint, global smart glasses shipments increased by 110% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, with AI glasses accounting for 78%. Wang Liansheng, the director of the China Electronics Industry Standardization Technology Association, also pointed out that AI glasses are expected to reach a market size of hundreds of billions of yuan. This signifies not just an upgrade of smart wearable devices but a battle for distribution sovereignty in the context of AI becoming the "new operating system."

Wu Yuxing, a brand strategic positioning expert, pointed out to Guanchao Technology Pro that ByteDance faces both advantages and challenges in this battle. On one hand, it possesses the strongest content distribution capabilities in China, with the Doubao App already having preliminary AI service capabilities and a user base, giving it a natural advantage in transitioning from a "service entry point" to a "scenario entry point." On the other hand, ByteDance is not a hardware-originated company, and the Doubao App still has a distance to go before becoming a system-level entry point. User habits have not fully migrated, making it challenging to penetrate high-frequency usage scenarios through hardware in a short period.

This explains why ByteDance chose to collaborate with mature ODM manufacturers rather than building its own supply chain, enabling rapid trial and error and small-batch testing. From the Ola earphones to the Nubia M153 engineering prototype and now the glasses rumors, each product appearance is essentially a "strategic rehearsal." Whether the hardware ultimately succeeds depends not on mass production capabilities but on whether the AI experience is sufficiently good and can form a Rigid path (essential usage path) for users.

Li Rui, the executive director of Qishijie Beijing Technology Co., Ltd., believes, "The entry point is a key moat and also a toll booth. Whoever controls distribution rights holds the discourse power."

In the era where AI drives everything, this statement holds even more weight. ByteDance is not becoming a traditional terminal manufacturer but is leveraging the AI wave to bypass the entry point monopolies of Android and iOS and re-compete for control over the "first touchpoint." Regardless of whether Doubao glasses ultimately ship, this round of software-hardware collaborative layout (layout) has already propelled ByteDance to the forefront of the new AI terminal competition.

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Text 丨 Original content by Guanchao Technology Pro. Reproduction requires permission.