The Battle for Overseas Markets: Chinese AI Glasses Brands Pave the Way Before Xiaomi's Entry

The Eagerly Anticipated Xiaomi AI Glasses

The recent launch of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has garnered significant attention, yet the absence of the highly anticipated Xiaomi AI glasses left many enthusiasts somewhat disappointed. However, Lei Jun's announcement that Xiaomi's 2025 R&D budget, with a quarter allocated to AI and related businesses, has heightened expectations for their AI products, particularly the mysterious AI glasses. There are rumors that the Xiaomi AI glasses might be released in May, and if the current leaked specifications are accurate, the product will be a strong contender in the market, potentially disrupting the industry with its cost - effective strategy.

Chinese AI Glasses Brands' Advanced Overseas Market Expansion

The Chinese AI glasses market is experiencing a significant growth spurt, with China leading globally in market growth rate. Many Chinese brands have already ventured into overseas markets, gaining valuable experience and establishing a presence before the major players like Xiaomi officially enter the fray.

Strategic Overseas Expansion

Overseas markets are crucial for XR and AI glasses. Many Chinese AI and AR glasses companies are adopting a明智 (wise) strategy by first testing the waters in overseas markets. This approach is beneficial for several reasons:

-海外消费者普遍对新技术接受度较高，更愿意为创意十足的新奇产品买单 (Overseas consumers are more receptive to new technology and more willing to purchase innovative products.)

-通过海外市场的反馈，企业能够进一步优化产品性能，完善用户体验，从而为后续国内市场的推广积累宝贵经验，实现“以海外促国内”的战略布局 (Through feedback from overseas markets, companies can optimize product performance and enhance user experience, gaining valuable experience for domestic market promotion and achieving a strategy of "promoting domestic markets through overseas operations.")

At CES 2025, Chinese AI and AR glasses suppliers made their move overseas, seeking local brand cooperation and integrating with third - party AI capabilities like Google and ChatGPT. Kickstarter, as the largest overseas crowdfunding platform, has also become a popular choice for startups. For example, the Halliday AI glasses project by Gyges Labs and Shanghai Caitong's Moody garnered significant support, raising $1.37 million in 72 hours and reaching $2.7 million by the time of publication. Loomos AI glasses also performed well, raising $1.53 million in just five days, far exceeding their $5,000 goal.

The "Overseas" Report Card of Chinese Manufacturers

Many Chinese manufacturers have already achieved remarkable success in overseas markets:

• Starji Meizu signed an international distribution agreement with Malaysia's Giant Micro Group in January 2024, expanding into Southeast Asian markets.

• Lei Bird Innovation saw its RayNeo Air 2 rank first on Amazon's list of best - selling video - viewing glasses, with a 658% increase in shop orders year - on - year.

• Rokid formed a partnership with Japan's third - largest telecom operator, Docomo, in 2023, and their products are now available in 261线下 (offline) stores across Japan.

• XREAL dominated Amazon's AR glasses sales rankings in December 2024, securing the top spot in total sales volume and revenue across multiple countries.

Challenges in the Overseas Market

Despite these successes, the overseas market presents several challenges:

• intense competition from international giants like Ray-Ban and Meta

• product同质化 (homogenization)

• complex and costly offline channel expansion

• differing national policies, cultural backgrounds, and technical standards

Conclusion

The journey of Chinese enterprises going overseas is challenging, but it is also a path filled with opportunities. With innovation and quality as their strengths, Chinese companies are forging ahead in the global market. The future looks promising as "Made in China" strives to become "Made for the World," and the AI glasses market is set to witness more thrilling developments and competition.