Meta Leads the Charge: Smart Glasses Boom Spurs Tech Giants into Frenzy

The landscape of smart glasses is set for a significant transformation as anticipation builds around Meta’s upcoming product releases at the 2025 Meta Connect conference, scheduled for September 17-18. Insights from the company's chief technology officer suggest the unveiling of new models, including the display-equipped Celeste, a third-generation RayBan-Meta collaboration, and Oakley sports glasses. These developments are expected to redefine how artificial intelligence integrates with eyewear, focusing on advancements in hardware, interaction, and software.

Meta's introduction of groundbreaking smart glasses has triggered a flurry of activity across the tech sector, with internet giants, smart hardware manufacturers, and traditional eyewear companies—such as Google, Samsung, Amazon, Huawei, Byte, Alibaba, and Xiaomi—scrambling to prototype and release their own versions of smart spectacles. Notably, Apple is reportedly developing a suite of AR/XR smart glasses, further intensifying the race to capture market share in this burgeoning field.

The influx of anticipated smart glasses models from major tech firms raises questions about A-share companies’ strategic approaches in this rapidly evolving product category. A partial review from the Science and Technology Board Daily cites multiple Chinese firms—such as Goertek, Lens Technology, and Rockchip—actively investing in the smart glasses domain. Their involvement spans various dimensions, including manufacturing, optics, algorithm development, chips, and essential components.

For instance, Lens Technology has made strides in improving core processes like waveguide optics quality and automated precision assembly, achieving mass production and delivery for a leading domestic client's AI glasses. The company is reportedly poised to exclusively supply key components for Meta's forthcoming AI glasses. Similarly, Goertek's half-year report highlights advances in its precision components and smart hardware sectors, specifically with AI smart glasses and wearable tech lines.

As the shift from 'mobile computing' to 'spatial computing' gains momentum within the consumer electronics sector, the role of smart terminals like AI glasses is increasingly pivotal for pioneering new interaction paradigms. With favorable domestic policies, increased shipment volumes, and technological breakthroughs, the market penetration of smart glasses is steadily increasing. The industry is optimistic, forecasting substantial shipment growth and anticipating that AI+AR technologies will reach a mature stage by 2030, leading to a boom in smart glasses sales.