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AI Smartglasses Grew 322% in 2025 — And 2026 Could Double It Again
April 7, 2026 · 8 min read — Data: Omdia, March 2026
AI smartglasses shipped 8.7 million units in 2025 — a 322% jump year-over-year. Meta holds 85.2% global market share via Ray-Ban and Oakley AI glasses. China is the fastest-growing market. Omdia forecasts 15 million units in 2026. Display-equipped glasses are the fastest-growing segment, with Chinese companies (Alibaba, Even Realities) dominating 71% of that category.
The AI wearables category has moved from curiosity to momentum. According to Omdia's latest market data, global AI smartglasses shipments surged 322% in 2025, reaching 8.7 million units — a figure that would have seemed implausible just two years ago when smart glasses were synonymous with Google Glass's failure.
What changed? Multimodal AI. The combination of always-on audio, lightweight vision models, and voice interfaces created a genuinely useful product for the first time. And Meta figured out how to put it in a form factor people actually want to wear.
Market Size and Growth: The Numbers
| Year | Global Shipments | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ~2.1 million units | — |
| 2025 | 8.7 million units | +322% |
| 2026 (forecast) | 15+ million units | ~72% (forecast) |
The 2026 forecast of 15 million units would represent continued rapid growth, though at a more normalized pace as the market matures. Omdia expects expansion into new geographic markets — particularly India, Japan, and South Korea — to drive the next growth phase.
Who Is Winning: Market Share Breakdown
| Company | 2025 Market Share | Units (est.) | Key Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta | 85.2% | 7.4M | Ray-Ban AI, Oakley AI glasses |
| Rokid | ~5% | ~435K | AR glasses, China-focused |
| Xiaomi | ~4% | ~348K | Smart glasses ecosystem |
| Even Realities | ~2% | ~174K | G2 ($600, no-camera) |
| Others (incl. Alibaba) | ~4% | ~348K | Display-equipped segment |
Meta's dominance is overwhelming — but geographically concentrated. In the United States and Europe, Meta Ray-Ban AI glasses are essentially the only mainstream option. In China, where Meta has no direct presence, Rokid and Xiaomi have become the second and third largest vendors globally.
China: The Fastest-Growing Market
Mainland China is the standout growth story in the AI smartglasses market. It captured 10.9% of global shipments in 2025 — nearly 1 million units — making it the second-largest market after the United States.
The Chinese market has a distinct product landscape. Local brands emphasize:
- Display integration: Chinese companies (Alibaba, Even Realities) dominate 71% of the display-equipped smartglasses segment
- Local AI integration: Models from Baidu, Alibaba, and local providers rather than Western AI backends
- Price competition: Products at multiple price points from budget to premium
- No-camera variants: Privacy-sensitive designs that avoid camera hardware entirely
The Display-Equipped Segment: Fastest Growth Within the Category
Within the broader AI smartglasses market, the display-equipped category is growing even faster. In 2024, only 3.3% of AI glasses had built-in displays. By 2025, that share had risen to 8.4%, with 730,000 units shipped.
Display-equipped glasses occupy a middle ground between pure AI audio glasses (like Meta Ray-Ban) and full AR/VR headsets (like Apple Vision Pro). They show minimal overlays — text, navigation cues, notifications — while maintaining a near-normal eyewear form factor.
Chinese companies dominate this segment for a simple reason: display technology manufacturing is concentrated in China, and local firms have faster iteration cycles for integrating new display components.
Even Realities G2: The Privacy-First Option
Even Realities, backed by Tencent, has carved out a distinctive niche with its $600 G2 smartglasses. The defining feature: no camera. In a world where camera-equipped AI glasses raise persistent privacy concerns about always-on recording in public spaces and private homes, Even Realities bet that a meaningful segment of buyers would prefer a camera-free alternative.
The G2 still provides AI voice assistance, audio, and navigation — just without visual input capabilities. For users who want ambient AI assistance in sensitive environments (offices, gyms, hospitals), the no-camera design is not a limitation but a feature.
What Is Driving Growth: Multimodal AI Changed Everything
The fundamental shift enabling this growth is the maturation of multimodal AI — models that can process audio, vision, and language simultaneously with low latency. Earlier smart glasses failed because the AI was too slow, too limited, or too expensive to run on lightweight hardware.
By 2025, the combination of more efficient on-device models, improved edge computing chips, and fast cloud inference made AI glasses genuinely useful for:
- Hands-free information lookup — asking AI questions while driving, cooking, or working
- Real-time translation — hearing translated audio in one ear while someone speaks another language
- Object and scene identification — camera-equipped glasses that can describe what you are looking at
- Navigation assistance — turn-by-turn audio directions without looking at a phone
- Proactive reminders — glasses that notice context and surface relevant information
2026 Outlook: 15 Million Units and a Maturing Market
Omdia's forecast of 15 million units for 2026 implies continued strong growth but at a more sustainable pace than 2025's 322% explosion. Key growth drivers include:
- Meta's geographic expansion — entering India, Mexico, Brazil, and other markets where Meta Ray-Ban is not yet broadly available
- New entrant competition — Apple, Samsung, and Google are all reported to have AI glasses projects in development
- Display price decline — as display costs fall, more manufacturers will offer display-equipped options below $300
- Enterprise adoption — warehouse picking, field service, and healthcare are piloting AI glasses for hands-free workflow assistance
The category is not yet at iPhone-scale adoption — 15 million units globally is roughly 1 in every 550 people on Earth. But the 322% growth rate in 2025 suggests AI smartglasses have cleared the critical early-adopter phase and are entering mainstream consumer consideration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did AI smartglasses grow in 2025?
Global AI smartglasses shipments grew 322% year-over-year in 2025, reaching 8.7 million units according to Omdia. Meta dominated with 85.2% market share (7.4 million units) via Ray-Ban and Oakley AI glasses.
Which AI smartglasses brands lead in 2026?
Meta leads globally with 85.2% share. In China, Rokid and Xiaomi are second and third globally. Even Realities (Tencent-backed) targets the no-camera privacy niche with the $600 G2. Chinese companies including Alibaba and Even Realities dominate 71% of the display-equipped glasses segment.
How many AI smartglasses will ship in 2026?
Omdia forecasts global AI smartglasses shipments will surpass 15 million units in 2026 — nearly doubling from 8.7 million in 2025, driven by Meta's geographic expansion and new Chinese and global entrants.
What is the difference between AI smartglasses and VR headsets?
AI smartglasses are lightweight, look like regular eyewear, and provide ambient AI assistance (audio, vision, Q&A) without immersive displays. VR/AR headsets create full visual overlays and require bulkier hardware. Smartglasses prioritize all-day wearability; VR headsets prioritize immersive experience.
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