The future of AI may sit on your face. Smart glasses and AR devices powered an 83% surge in global intelligent eyewear shipments in the first quarter, leaving VR struggling to keep pace.
According to Counterpoint Research, global intelligent eyewear shipments, including VR headsets, AR glasses and display-less smart glasses, surged 83% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026. Growth was led by AI-powered smart glasses and AR devices, while VR shipments fell 17% amid an ageing product cycle, fewer new launches and cautious investments by leading manufacturers.
Display-less smart glasses emerged as the fastest-growing category, with shipments soaring 210% YoY, followed by AR glasses, which expanded 136%. Counterpoint said growing consumer interest in AI assistants integrated into wearable devices is accelerating adoption beyond traditional gaming and entertainment.
Within the AR segment, waveguide-based glasses continued gaining ground, accounting for 42% of shipments compared with 18% a year earlier, as manufacturers increasingly paired transparent displays with AI capabilities. More mature Birdbath/Flat-Prism models still held the largest share at 58%, although their dominance continued to shrink.
Among vendors, RayNeo remained the leader in the Birdbath AR category with a 41% market share, while VITURE emerged as the fastest-growing brand, recording 281% YoY shipment growth on the back of aggressive international expansion. In waveguide-based AR glasses, Rokid led global shipments, while Meta captured a 38% share despite production constraints limiting the availability of its display-equipped smart glasses.
The display-less smart glasses market remained overwhelmingly dominated by Meta, whose market share climbed to nearly 84%, supported by strong demand in the US. Counterpoint said regional ecosystems are also beginning to emerge in markets such as China and India, where local players are differentiating themselves through localized AI services and ecosystem integration.
Rising memory prices remain a key challenge for the industry, particularly for VR devices that require significantly more memory. However, Counterpoint expects AR glasses and AI smart glasses to continue outperforming as ecosystem support grows through initiatives such as Qualcomm’s START program, which aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of AI-powered wearable devices.
