Counterpoint Research reports that global AI glasses shipments grew 263% year over year in the first half of 2026, driven largely by cheaper display-less models like Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses, which made up 96% of all shipments. Meta captured 94% of that display-less segment, while AR-enabled glasses, though still a small niche, saw shipments jump 449% year over year, led by Rokid ahead of Meta.
Snap has given hands-on access to its latest Specs augmented reality glasses, showcasing new AR features built into a wearable form factor. Early testers describe the device as fun and functional but note the design looks unpolished and some capabilities feel unfinished for a consumer-ready product.
Snap has unveiled Specs Intelligence, a new AI assistant built into its redesigned AR Specs and available as separate desktop and mobile apps. The tool connects to outside accounts like Google to learn a user's goals, routines and relationships, then surfaces reminders, meeting prep and travel details, sorting them into context-based 'corners' for work, family and other areas of life.
Snap has released a new generation of its standalone AR Specs, featuring dual cameras for hand-tracking controls similar to prior models but with added polish. The glasses now let AR content anchor in place and follow the wearer around a room, addressing a key complaint from earlier versions, and offer a slightly wider 51-degree field of view along with adjustable display dimming for different lighting conditions.
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel took the stage in Los Angeles to formally launch Specs, standalone AR glasses priced at $2,195, following a preview earlier this year at Augmented World Expo. Spiegel positioned Specs not as AI glasses like rivals' offerings but as a 'wearable computer' meant to reduce reliance on smartphones.
RayNeo has released a lineup of augmented reality eyewear spanning personal theater-style displays and lightweight glasses with near-invisible screens. Rather than a single flagship product, the company is targeting different use cases with separate hardware designs, betting that practical applications will drive adoption faster than a one-size-fits-all approach.