The Augmented World Expo this week showcased new developments in smart glasses and mixed reality devices. Companies including Snap and Xreal unveiled upcoming products powered by advanced chips and AI features. Market data indicates strong growth in the sector.
Snap introduced its new augmented reality Spectacles at the event. The glasses, priced at $2,195, are scheduled to launch in the fall and offer standalone 3D AR capabilities without a phone connection. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel described them as a new kind of computer built into see-through glasses.
Xreal presented its Aura glasses, which run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chipset. The device is set to arrive this fall and supports features like hand tracking and AI avatars. Demos included interactions with 3D-scanned figures and integration with devices such as the Nintendo Switch 2.
Market researcher IDC reported that smart glasses shipments surged 167 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching 2.25 million units. Meta's Ray-Ban models held 69 percent of the market share during that period.
Other exhibitors displayed privacy-focused options like the Raven Prism Linux glasses and compact mixed-reality headsets such as the URXR One, both planned for later this year.
