Demand for smart glasses in China has surged, with sales up about 116% year-on-year in 2025, according to market-research firm IDC. That momentum has encouraged Chinese hardware makers to aim beyond their home market and compete globally against established players such as Meta, tells Tech Xplore.
These firms, from giants such as Xiaomi and Alibaba to startups such as Rokid and XREAL, are betting on China’s mature digital ecosystem and manufacturing infrastructure to build competitive products. In many Chinese smart glasses, functions go beyond simple AR or audio: users can pay in shops via QR codes, give voice commands, get real-time translations, access generative-AI assistants, and even see overlay subtitles on lenses.
Particularly striking has been the performance of new Chinese models in 2025. Xiaomi’s AI glasses, launched recently, became the third best-selling globally during the first half of the year. Rokid, meanwhile, emphasizes lightweight design, open compatibility with multiple large-language models (such as OpenAI, Llama, Gemini), and features such as on-the-go translation, photography, and even inter-app flexibility depending on user location.
Still, Chinese firms face hurdles. Overseas rivals such as Meta continue to lead in core display and “waveguide optics” technology. And despite the rapid iteration of models, matching the blend of style, hardware polish, and ecosystem maturity of established Western smart glasses remains a challenge.
Chinese smart eyewear makers are riding a wave of domestic adoption and technological momentum toward global presence. The question now is whether they can close the technical and design gap to win over consumers beyond China.