Rokid virtual screen vs. Meta Ray-Ban Display

Hello, I’m Evelyn, writing to you from Beijing. Welcome to the latest edition of The China Connection, a concise summary of what I’m seeing and hearing from local businesses.

Today I talk to a smart glasses executive about why price-conscious Chinese consumers are paying $100 more for AI frames. What is Meta’s strategy to take on Ray-Ban Display outside of China?

While smart glasses users in the US will get a small corner screen with the launch of smart glasses Meta Ray-Ban Display In China, two companies sell smart frames with a virtual display that sits right in front of the user.

Rokid increases its sales worldwide — IT Had a 3.9% market share last year — Alibaba is also making a plan overseas launch After showcasing its smart glasses at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this year. Meanwhile, Meta said the overseas launch of Ray-Ban Display was delayed due to inventory constraints and “unprecedented” US demand.

Rokid currently ships its AI display glasses to countries including the UK and Canada – but not the US, according to its website. The frames sell for $599 outside China; That’s less than the Meta Ray-Ban Display, which starts at $799 but isn’t officially sold in China, where a firewall blocks access to Facebook.

The global AI glasses market is expected to grow more than 70% this year, reaching sales of 15 million units, according to Omdia, which predicts that China sales will double to 2.1 million frames.

However, virtual screen AI glasses are still a niche product; It is expected to grow modestly, accounting for just 10% of global sales, according to Jason Low, Omdia’s Shanghai-based connected living research director.

But despite some “primitive” displays in China, he noted, consumers still prefer them because they want to interact with their devices that way.

Technically, Rokid and Alibaba use augmented reality technology to display green text and some images through their glasses, while Meta offers a color display. The fact that Meta’s frames are Ray-Ban makes them definitely trendy.

But Rokid users on social media in China say they like the central display because it makes navigation easier while cycling, for example, and allows them to order coffee by talking while walking.

This spring, Rokid integrated the AI ​​agent OpenClaw into their framework, allowing users to manage AI assistants by talking to their glasses. Rokid, which is critical for commercialization plans, also helps users Complete Alipay mobile payments Look at QR codes and use AI rep shop features to connect to Teslas, give homework lessons, and manage internet-connected home appliances.

Getting consumers to embrace new technology along with new hardware is no easy feat.

Over the years since its founding in 2014, Rokid has struggled to win customers like passengers on Hainan Airlines – in the spirit of “try before you buy”. We could watch movies with glasses. Younger competitors like Xreal have gotten ahead with better hardware.

Now, Rokid They reportedly plan to file for an initial public offering In Hong Kong at the end of April. The startup did not respond to a request for comment on its plans.

Cai acknowledged that previous versions of Rokid glasses, before current display technology, were primarily used by gamers as a niche product.

But he said the company’s close relationships with its suppliers allowed it to produce the new AI display glasses at scale and 20 grams lighter than Meta’s. Rokid currently generates 40% of its revenue outside mainland China and aims to sell up to 1 million pairs this year, including through a collaboration with eyewear brand Bolon.

Will this help Rokid survive, though? Cai predicts that major companies such as ByteDance and Huawei could join Alibaba in entering the smart glasses market.

Chinese parts manufacturers also want to participate. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, Chinese laser company Appotronics showed off competing optical engines, including a color display. Michael Chen, general manager of Appotronics’ innovation center, told me that the company plans to meet with Google and Meta after the show.

Smart glasses present many privacy issues that still need to be resolved, Cai said. But he is bullish as the technology improves, saying AI-powered display glasses could have the potential to make smartphones obsolete.

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