XR Weekly Roundup: ByteDance Enters AI Glasses Race; Xiaomi's AI Glasses MI

Domestic Developments

This week, the domestic XR scene has been buzzing with AR/AI glasses - related news. Insiders revealed that ByteDance is developing an AI smart glass that might feature the Hengxuan 2800+ Yان Jwei ISP chip, hinting at a focus on shooting - oriented AI glasses. Although Xiaomi's AI glasses, expected to use a Qualcomm AR 1 + Hengxuan 2700 chip setup, didn't debut at its recent launch event, the stage is set for a strategic push into the AI glasses market.

Xreal announced a deep strategic partnership with Hisense, with a flagship AR product co - developed by the companies to be launched later this year. Leebird Innovation, part of TCL, showcased its products at an Olympic - related event, highlighting the expanding applications of AI glasses. Rokid also made headlines when its founder appeared at a conference in Rokid Glasses, which were used as a teleprompter.

The domestic smart glasses market is booming, with IDC forecasting a significant growth in global and Chinese market shipments this year.

International News

On the global front, Meta introduced the Aria Gen 2 AR glasses, a research - focused device aimed at advancing machine perception and AI. Designed primarily for academic and commercial research labs, the glasses won't be available to consumers and will begin testing in mid - 2025.

Valve is gearing up to release a new standalone wireless VR headset, codenamed "Deckard," by the end of 2025. Despite its high price tag of $ 1,200, Valve aims to offer an premium experience. The company also revealed a patent for a workspace - like feature in its headsets, similar to Apple's Vision Pro.

Apple confirmed that visionOS 2.4 will integrate Apple Intelligence into Vision Pro, enhancing its capabilities. The update will be released in April. Meanwhile, Sony announced a permanent price drop for its PSVR 2, now priced at $ 400, including the Horizon Call of the Mountain game package.

These developments highlight the dynamic and competitive nature of the XR market, with companies constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible in both hardware and software. As technology continues to advance, we can expect even more exciting announcements and product releases in the coming months. Stay tuned for more updates!