LAIKA

2026/01/08

Who Will Ultimately Seize This Gateway to Traffic?

In the 2025 consumer electronics landscape, the hottest keyword is undoubtedly 'AI glasses.' Since November, heavyweight products like Baidu's Xiaodu AI Glasses Pro and Alibaba's Kuake AI Glasses have made their debuts, followed closely by ByteDance, Huawei, and Xiaomi. Overseas players like Apple, Google, and Meta are accelerating their layout (translated as 'deployment'), while even cross-industry automakers such as Li Auto and NIO are joining the fray. A global 'battle of a hundred brands' has commenced. This smoky competition is essentially a struggle for control over the 'next-generation super terminal.'

As the focus shifts to the direct clash between China's two internet giants—Baidu and Alibaba—we can't help but ask: What are the core focal points of this competition? Can their core strengths truly compel users to 'put on the glasses'? Where will this race lead in 2026?

01

Competition Focus

A Triple Race from Hardware Competition to Ecosystem Game

If early smart glasses were still at the basic stage of 'making sounds and connecting to the internet,' the 2025 'battle of a hundred brands' has entered the deep waters of multidimensional competition.

The clash between Xiaodu AI Glasses Pro and Alibaba's Kuake AI Glasses clearly outlines the industry's three core competition focal points.

The first focal point is the 'ultimate balance between lightweight design and experiential feel.' Wearing comfort directly determines whether AI glasses can break free from the 'niche geek toy' label and move towards the mass consumer market.

Xiaodu AI Glasses Pro precisely controls the overall weight at 39 grams, adopting a sporty sunglasses design. The temple integrates core components like the motherboard and battery without appearing obtrusive, offering two fashionable styles—Boston and Cat Eye—and supporting sunglasses, photochromic, and custom prescription lenses. From a design perspective, it leans towards the 'accessory attribute' of ordinary glasses, allowing users to wear them continuously for half a day without easily developing pressure marks. Kuake AI Glasses, on the other hand, launches two series—S1 and G1—to cover different needs. Among them, the S1 series achieves all-day comfortable wearing through bionic designs of the nose pad and ear bend, as well as a balanced 1:1 front-to-back weight distribution. It also provides an integrated prescription lens solution for nearsighted users, although custom lenses require an additional cost of nearly a thousand yuan, pushing up the comprehensive cost for some users. Behind lightweight design lies breakthroughs in optical modules and battery technology. After all, within the limited body space, simultaneously accommodating display effects, battery life, and wearing comfort poses a challenge akin to the industry's 'impossible trinity.'

The second focal point is the 'scenario-based implementation of AI capabilities.' Currently, AI functions detached from practical scenarios are merely gimmicks. Both Baidu and Kuake are striving to transform large model capabilities into user-perceivable value.

Baidu, leveraging its Wenxin Yiyan large model, endows Xiaodu AI Glasses Pro with four core capabilities: real-time translation in 36 languages within 3 seconds, with optimized terminology for professional fields like medical and finance; AI object recognition and AI memo functions precisely address daily information recording needs; AI meeting minutes automatically extract key points to generate to-do lists, directly targeting the pain points of office workers. Kuake, on the other hand, takes a 'scenario ecosystem integration' route, deeply binding the Tongyi Qianwen large model capabilities with local life scenarios. It supports high-frequency functions like Gaode navigation, Alipay face recognition payment, Taobao price comparison, and Fliggy travel reminders, attempting to make glasses a 'portable local life service gateway.'

The difference lies in that Baidu leans towards a 'personal assistant-style' full-scenario companionship, while Kuake focuses on 'efficiency tool-style' local life empowerment.

The third focal point is the 'construction and synergy of the ecosystem.' The ultimate value of AI glasses lies in becoming a 'new gateway to traffic,' which cannot be achieved without full ecosystem support. Baidu, leveraging its years of accumulated voice interaction experience with the Xiaodu series, has formed a mature voice ecosystem while collaborating with content platforms like NetEase Cloud Music to enhance the audio-visual scenario experience. Kuake, backed by Alibaba's ecosystem, has connect through (translated as 'connected') core service links like payment, e-commerce, and travel, forming a closed loop of 'hardware + services.' This competition has long surpassed a single product, becoming an extension and contest between two ecosystems on 'wearable terminals.'

Moreover, the differentiated impact of cross-industry players has also brought numerous imaginative spaces to the industry. The entry of automakers like Li Auto and NIO is not merely a trend-following move but comes with precise scenario positioning to divert the market.

Take Li Auto's AI glasses as an example. Its core strategy is 'deep integration with the vehicle's infotainment system + affordable pricing.' The overall weight is controlled at 36 grams, with a price of 1,999 yuan, significantly lower than Kuake's starting price of 3,999 yuan. Its core functions focus on driving scenarios, supporting navigation information projection, voice control of the vehicle's system, and answering calls from the vehicle's phone, precisely targeting car owners. This differentiated route forms a staggered competition with Baidu's focus on office scenarios and Kuake's focus on local life scenarios, diverting a large amount of consumer demand from car owners.

However, these cross-industry players also have obvious shortcomings. Li Auto's AI glasses have weak large model interaction capabilities, supporting only basic voice commands and unable to perform complex functions like meeting minutes and multilingual translation. However, leveraging its unique advantage of vehicle data synergy, its experience fluidity in driving scenarios far exceeds that of Kuake and Baidu. This pattern of 'professional players competing on technological ecosystems and cross-industry players competing on precise scenarios' makes the competition dimensions of the 'battle of a hundred brands' more diverse.

02

Can the 'Try It Once and Shelve It' Dilemma Be Broken?

Behind the current market enthusiasm, high return rates cannot be ignored. According to industry media XR Vision, the return rate of AI glasses on traditional e-commerce platforms is generally around 30%, while content platforms like Douyin see rates as high as 40%-50%. 'Insufficient functional practicality' is the core issue, but it reflects multi-dimensional user experience shortcomings.

Firstly, battery life is disconnected from usage scenarios. Although some products claim 'comprehensive battery life of up to several tens of hours,' they heavily rely on smart glasses cases for recharging. The actual continuous usage time per charge is often only 3-4 hours, making it difficult to support high-frequency scenarios like all-day office work and outdoor travel. 'Failing at critical moments' has become one of the core reasons for returns.

Secondly, functional adaptability is insufficient, and scenario implementation is rough. On one hand, cross-device adaptability has obvious shortcomings. For example, some AI glasses have inconsistent compatibility with Android and iOS systems, frequently experiencing lag and functional failures after connecting to a phone, and even failing to synchronize basic data like contacts and calendars. On the other hand, scenario-based functions are 'superficial.' For instance, meeting minutes in office scenarios can only recognize simple sentences and fail to distinguish dialects and professional terms. Multilingual translation sees a significant drop in accuracy in complex contexts. Navigation projection in driving scenarios has delayed synergy with the vehicle's system, failing to truly address user pain points.

Thirdly, the perceived mismatch between price and value. Mid-to-high-end products often cost over 3,000 yuan, but their core functions overlap significantly with those of thousand-yuan smartwatches and earphones. Functions like voice assistants and navigation prompts are already available on other devices, leaving users feeling they haven't gained differentiated value after purchase. Meanwhile, low-priced products suffer from severe compromises in hardware texture and functional completeness, further exacerbating 'buyer's remorse' and returns.

Although current leading players have their strengths, they still face common challenges. On one hand, the ecosystem lag issue hasn't been truly resolved. Native applications that truly align with AI glasses' 'first-person perspective and hands-free' characteristics are still extremely scarce. Most functions are simply adaptations of mobile apps, leaving consumers feeling like they are the first batch of 'guinea pig users.' On the other hand, computational limitations lead to discounted experiences in some scenarios, such as delayed voice recognition in complex environments and restricted functionality offline. To encourage long-term wearing, leading players need to continuously break through in 'deepening essential scenarios' and 'enhancing on-device computational power.'

03

2026 Outlook

The Inevitable Path from 'Chaotic Battle of a Hundred Brands' to 'Stratified Coexistence'

Looking back from the beginning of 2026, the past year has undoubtedly been the 'breakout year for AI glasses.'

Market data confirms the track (translated as 'sector') heat: Xiaomi's AI glasses dominated the charts upon entry, with sales in the first three days equivalent to a small manufacturer's annual performance. Counterpoint data shows that global smart glasses market shipments surged by 110% year-on-year in the first half of 2025. IDC reports predict that global smart glasses market shipments will exceed 23.687 million units in 2026, with China's market shipments surpassing 4.915 million units.

However, beneath the hype, the industry's shakeout has just begun. 2026 will witness an accelerated period of 'policy catalysis + scenario deepening + ecosystem synergy,' becoming a critical window for determining market direction. Recently, AI glasses were included for the first time in the 'national subsidies' for new categories, a policy dividend that will drive the transition of products from 'novelty items' to 'mass consumer goods.'

From a competitive landscape perspective, the 'chaotic battle of a hundred brands' will gradually evolve towards 'head concentration + niche coexistence.' Giants like Baidu and Kuake, leveraging their ecosystem advantages, will dominate the general consumer market by connecting high-frequency scenarios. Vertical players like Thunderbird and Rokid will focus on optical technology breakthroughs, delving into niche areas like audio-visual and industrial sectors. Cross-industry automakers like Li Auto will build differentiated advantages around driving scenarios. Industry experts predict that the industry will undergo initial shakeout in 2026-2027, ultimately forming a stable pattern (translated as 'pattern') where a few leading enterprises control the mainstream market and specialized manufacturers cover long-tail demands.

The core direction of technological iteration will be to crack the 'impossible trinity' and incubate native applications. On the hardware side, more advanced low-power chips and lightweight optical modules will gradually become widespread, with the potential to achieve ultra-light bodies under 30 grams within 1-2 years. Breakthroughs in on-device AI chips and solid-state battery technology will push battery life beyond 8 hours. MicroLED microdisplay technology is gradually becoming standard. Kuake's S1 has already achieved 4,000-nit high-brightness display, with future outdoor visibility expected to further improve. On the ecosystem side, hardware manufacturers will open interfaces and establish revenue-sharing mechanisms to incentivize developers, addressing the current pain point of scarce native applications. Meanwhile, the establishment of industry standards will be prioritized, with unified interface specifications, interaction logics, and data security systems driving AI glasses from 'fragmented competition' to 'scaled development.' Notably, interaction dimensions will leap from 'visual enhancement' to 'multi-sensory collaboration,' with AI glasses poised to truly become the next-generation platform gateway, reconstructing traffic and service systems.

The clarification of business models will be another key to industry development in 2026. Currently, both Kuake and Baidu primarily rely on 'hardware sales' as their main profit source. However, in the long run, a 'hardware + services' subscription model will be the core direction. Leveraging Alibaba's ecosystem, Kuake has begun exploring service subscription monetization. Its currently launched 'Kuake Premium Service' at 99 yuan/month includes exclusive price comparison benefits, priority travel bookings, and advanced AR navigation features, with an initial subscription user conversion rate of 8.3%. Baidu, leveraging its voice ecosystem advantages, has partnered with NetEase Cloud Music to launch a co-branded membership. Users can enjoy lossless audio playback, exclusive playlists, and other benefits on their glasses by subscribing to a 298 yuan/year joint membership, while also unlocking advanced interaction functions of the Wenxin Yiyan large model.

For users, AI glasses in 2026 will become more 'usable, wearable, and affordable.' With supply chain maturity and scale effects, product prices are expected to drop to the mainstream range of 1,500-2,000 yuan, further lowering the adoption barrier. Meanwhile, the improvement of personalized customization services will enable users with different face shapes and vision conditions to find suitable products.

Conclusion

The 'iPhone moment' for AI glasses has not yet arrived, but the 2025 'battle of a hundred brands' has laid the foundation for the industry. Policy catalysis and technological breakthroughs in 2026 will propel the sector from 'wild growth' to 'high-quality development.' AI glasses will ultimately make their way into everyday life, completing their transformation from 'concept products' to 'super terminals.' The 2026 battle for this future gateway is undoubtedly worth watching.