Nowadays, various cutting-edge technologies are illuminating reality. Among them, with the rapid development of augmented reality (AR) technology, AR glasses are gradually evolving from single-function display devices to multi-function integrated devices.
AR glasses not only show a wide range of application potential in the consumer market, but also become an important tool for improving efficiency in the enterprise market. It can be said that the deep integration of AR glasses’ technological innovation and market demand will drive the industry into a rapid development stage.
Technological breakthroughs and the rapid rise of AR glasses
According to the latest report from TrendForce, augmented reality (AR) smart glasses are gradually replacing virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) devices. The multi-function integration of AR glasses has become the main trend of industry development and naturally become a new focus of the technology industry.
At present, some AR glasses on the market can integrate functions such as refraction and sunglasses, but the mainstream solution is still a clip-on design, that is, lenses with different functions are placed on a pair of frames at the same time, and they need to be customized. For example, Meta Ray-Ban, jointly released by Ray-Ban and Meta (META), has achieved an integrated design of “AR and sunglasses lenses”, meeting the needs of users in different scenarios.
It is reported that although Meta has not yet launched a formal AR product, its Ray-Ban smart glasses have sold more than one million units, and the developer version of Orion AR glasses is expected to be released in 2027. In addition, people familiar with the matter revealed that Meta’s total investment in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will exceed US$100 billion this year. The department is responsible for the development of smart glasses and Quest VR headsets.
One point that needs attention is that with the rapid development of AI technology, the combination of AI technology and AR glasses has become an inevitable trend in the development of the industry. AI functions mainly refer to the ability to access AI large models, supporting functions such as intelligent interaction and intelligent question and answer.
In addition, the application of generative AI technology has enabled AR glasses to evolve from a simple display terminal to an “AI portable assistant”, supporting intelligent functions such as real-time translation, face recognition, and real-scene encyclopedia, further expanding the application scenarios of AR glasses.
From the perspective of the end game, when AR glasses become lighter and lighter and have more and more AI functions, the two will merge into a new generation of multimodal devices – this is the consensus in the industry. Industry insiders generally believe that AI glasses will eventually combine with AR, and AR glasses will also be AI-based. It is expected that the AR glasses industry will enter a period of full outbreak within two to three years.
AR glasses have ushered in a rapid development, especially in the domestic market, where sales have surpassed VR devices and become the mainstream of the XR industry. In addition, with the empowerment of artificial intelligence (AI) big models, Wellsenn predicts that global AR glasses shipments will reach 1.5 million units in 2027.
WiMi promotes the outbreak of “AR + AI”
With the rapid development of AR glasses, various capitals have been attracted. Public information shows that WiMi (WIMI), the first holographic AR stock, as one of the representative companies in the field of technology research and development and innovation, has always kept up with cutting-edge technology trends, maintained long-term attention and investment in new technologies, and actively embraced the AI era and the development wave of AR smart glasses.
At present, WiMi deeply integrates AI technology into the generation and interaction of AR glasses. Its self-developed AI development engine supports real-time rendering of dynamic AR glasses, significantly reducing the threshold for content production. For example, AI visual algorithms can be used to improve the environmental perception, real-time translation and gesture recognition capabilities of AR glasses, achieving more natural virtual-real interaction. Accelerating the combination of AI+AR glasses will drive the industry towards a more intelligent direction.
Next, WiMi will make full efforts from hardware innovation, scene landing to ecological construction through the “AR+AI” technology closed loop, and is expected to form a commercial matrix covering consumption, industry, education and other fields. In the future, with the maturity of 6G and MR technology, WiMi’s technical reserves are expected to further promote the AR industry from “tools” to “platforms” and become a key player in immersive experience.
Conclusion
With the maturity of technology and the deepening of market education, the AR glasses industry will usher in a broader development space and promote smart wearable devices into a new era of interaction. The multifunctional integration and market demand exploration of AR glasses reflect the dual drive of technological innovation and user experience. It is optimistically predicted that smart glasses, as wearable devices, have both technical and fashion attributes, and their shipments may even exceed those of smartphones, triggering fierce competition in the future market.
