One figure: 4.2 million pairs of AI glasses were distributed worldwide in Q1 2026, 127% more than the previous year over the same period. This is what the latest figures from Omdia reveal, specifying that Meta maintains a dominant position with 3.4 million units distributed, or 81.3% of the total market.
AI integration, the real growth engine
“The growth of the AI glasses market in the first half of 2026 was driven by Meta’s continued momentum in the market and the arrival of a wave of new Chinese players,” said Qiran Ju, senior analyst at Omdia. Just as essential, manufacturers immediately clarified the value proposition for buyers by emphasizing hands-free photo and video capture, ear-free audio, and AI assistance integrated into everyday glasses.”
China, a gigantic technological laboratory
The United States remains the largest market for this product, but China, for its part, plays an important role as a component supplier and test environment for technological innovations. Thus, distribution there jumped by 306% between 2025 and 2026, with local manufacturers offering a wide range of unprecedented configurations.
AI connected glasses market, a fragmented sector set to diversify
China remains a fragmented market, however, with the biggest sellers (Alibaba, Inmo and Xiaomi) accounting for only 46.1% of distribution between the three of them. “What we are observing in China provides preliminary but undeniable signs that there is no single universal solution in the field of AI glasses, said Jason Low, research director at Omdia. As this category continues to diversify, both in terms of formats and features, this evolution will inevitably become the trend that defines the global market.”
