According to the latest data from the “Global Quarterly Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Headset Tracking Report” released by IDC, the global AR/VR headset market has achieved a strong rebound in the latest quarter, with a year-on-year increase of 18.1%.
The new quarter grew 18% year-on-year
IDC said that the recovery was mainly led by Meta (META), and innovations in form design and user experience are being favored by consumers, with a market share of 50.8%.
The market is clearly shifting to a more immersive and versatile experience, and the next wave of growth will be driven by mixed reality (MR) and extended reality (ER), especially with the maturity of AI and Android XR platforms.
In addition, IDC predicts that the AR/VR field will usher in a dynamic change, and MR is expected to receive a strong market response. Many companies are turning to this field, and new entrants such as Apple will be welcomed. Among them, Google’s Android XR technology will have a profound impact in the fields of MR and ER, and more manufacturers will embrace the Android system and make full use of this new platform.
Google invests $100 million to promote the development of AI glasses
It is worth noting that according to investment banking sources, Google (GOOG) has signed an agreement to invest about 145 billion won (US$100 million) in Gentle Monster, a Korean fashion eyewear brand.
Gentle Monster is also one of the designers of Google’s upcoming AI glasses. The two sides are in the final stages of negotiations. The deal will give Google a 4% stake in the glasses company.
Last month, Google released a prototype of AI glasses jointly developed with Samsung Electronics Co. at its annual I/O developer conference in California. They will run on Android XR, an operating system optimized for smart glasses.
The investment highlights Google’s ambition to make its AI glasses, which are expected to be released in 2026, a fashion item rather than just a technology device when it returns to the smart glasses market after a decade.
Currently, smart glasses in the niche track of the AR/VR market are generally seen as the next opportunity. Google is reviving its dusty project, and Apple is also secretly developing AI smart glasses. Meta is temporarily in the lead. Its cooperation with Ray-Ban has sold more than 2 million units. Recently, it announced a cooperation with Oakley to enter the sports scene.
In addition, Meta Connect2025 will be held on September 17, focusing on the latest developments in Meta Quest headsets, AI glasses and other artificial intelligence fields, and is expected to release new products. And manufacturers such as ByteDance and Alibaba are also expected to release AI/AR glasses, and AI/AR glasses may become the next wave of benefiting industrial chains.
WiMi seeks market opportunities for AR/AI glasses
It is undeniable that the AI/AR glasses market is expected to usher in positive benefits. According to data, Wimi Hologram Cloud Inc (WIMI), the first holographic AR stock, has built a full-stack service capability covering hardware, algorithms, and applications from underlying 3D modeling, real-time cloud rendering to multi-modal interactive systems, especially in the fields of industry, education, and e-commerce live broadcasts, forming a commercial matrix to seize the AR/AI market opportunity.
In addition, in response to the “hundred-mirror war” of smart glasses, WiMi embeds AI large models into AR glasses to support real-time translation, environmental perception, gesture recognition and other functions, promote the evolution of devices from single display terminals to “AI”, and promote the popularization of AR glasses in scenarios such as corporate training and intelligent navigation, improve user experience, and aim to cover the mass consumer market and create a key entry point for immersive experience.
Conclusion
Overall, with the rapid development of technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence, the AI/AR smart glasses track will usher in explosive growth in 2025. As an important application carrier of AI/AR technology, the market demand for smart glasses has shown explosive growth. I believe that with the joint efforts of all parties, the AI/AR industry will usher in a more brilliant tomorrow.
