Xin Lang Cai Jing·2025-12-24 09:53Core Viewpoint - The evolution of AI in hardware design, particularly in smart glasses, is marked by diverse functionalities and user experiences, leading to a lack of a unified definition for smart glasses in the industry [1][5][27]. Group 1: Industry Trends - The industry is witnessing a divergence in smart glasses, with products ranging from Xiaomi's affordable smart glasses to Apple's high-end Vision Pro, indicating a broad narrative around "smart glasses" or "XR" [1][27]. - Google has introduced the term "device lineage" to categorize XR devices, which includes wired XR glasses, wireless XR glasses, and non-display AI glasses, highlighting the complexity of defining smart glasses [3][29]. - The lack of a core function or definition for smart glasses has led manufacturers to explore various directions, resulting in a competitive landscape where each segment is vying for dominance [5][34]. Group 2: Product Development Challenges - The industry struggles with defining what constitutes smart glasses, as evidenced by the confusion surrounding Google's XR categorization and the varying functionalities of products like AR glasses that require connection to other devices [12][38]. - Apple's upcoming lightweight glasses, which focus on photography and AI without XR display capabilities, reflect a strategic pivot after challenges faced with the Vision Pro, indicating a shift towards more practical and socially acceptable designs [15][41]. - The concept of "AI glasses" is seen as an ideal form of AI hardware, capable of analyzing real-life contexts, yet the actual value and capabilities of such devices vary significantly across different product types [18][44]. Group 3: Market Perception and Future Outlook - The success of AI hardware is often not directly correlated with AI capabilities, as seen with the popularity of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which excel due to their aesthetic appeal rather than their AI features [20][46]. - The future of smart glasses remains uncertain, with the potential for them to coexist with smartphones rather than replace them, as the industry has yet to provide a clear answer on what could effectively substitute a smartphone [22][48]. - Successful examples in the current market focus on enhancing the glasses themselves, such as the Ideal Livis and Meta Ray-Ban, rather than solely on the integration of AI [24][50].