What the trackers counted
Three research firms have published numbers that buyers quote most often. They count different things, over different periods and with different definitions, so the useful habit is to keep each figure attached to its source and date rather than blending them into one headline. The table below lists the figures as published, with nothing added.
| Source and date | Scope | Published signal |
|---|---|---|
| Omdia, March 2026 | Global AI glasses, full year 2025 | About 8.7 million units shipped, up 322 percent year on year |
| Omdia, March 2026 | Display share within AI and AR glasses | Models with a display rose from 3.3 percent to 8.4 percent of the total, roughly 730,000 units |
| Omdia, March 2026 | China within global AI glasses | About 10.9 percent of shipments, close to 1 million units, the second largest market after the United States |
| Counterpoint, February 2026 | Global smart glasses, second half of 2025 | Shipments up 139 percent year on year; AI smart glasses 88 percent of shipments; North America 37 percent |
| IDC China, mid-2025 forecast | China smart glasses, full year 2025 | About 2.907 million units forecast, up 121.1 percent; audio and audio-camera glasses about 2.165 million units, up 178.4 percent |
None of these firms is measuring the same basket. Omdia's figures are for AI glasses; Counterpoint reports smart glasses for a half year; IDC's China figure was a forecast made in the middle of 2025 rather than a count after the year closed. Growth rates also start from a small base, which is why they look dramatic. What the three agree on is direction and shape: volume is growing fast, and most of it is in glasses without a display.
Reading the numbers without over-reading them
Market signals are useful for deciding where to look, not for forecasting your own sales. A few rules keep them in their place.
- Keep the definition next to the number. "AI glasses" in one report can include audio glasses with a voice assistant; in another it may exclude them. Before comparing two figures, check what each firm counts as a unit.
- Separate counts from forecasts. The IDC figure above is a forecast. It is a fair indicator of how analysts saw the China market in 2025, but it is not a shipment record.
- Treat high growth rates as a base effect. A category that triples in a year from a small base can still be modest in absolute terms. Growth tells you buyers are arriving; it does not tell you how many will choose your line.
- Do not convert shipments into market value. Average selling prices vary widely by segment and channel, and research firms differ on value estimates. This site does not publish market size in money terms for that reason.
- Ignore share tables you cannot source. Brand share figures circulate widely without a clear origin. For sourcing decisions, segment and region signals are more useful anyway.
What the segment split means for a range
The clearest signal is that audio-first glasses carry most of the volume. IDC's forecast put audio and audio-camera glasses at about three quarters of China's 2025 total, and Omdia's display share, even after more than doubling, was still under one in ten AI glasses. For a buyer building a first range, that points to a core of audio glasses - open-ear speakers, microphones for calls, a companion app - with AI and camera functions added where the channel supports them.
The rising display share is worth watching, but display and AR models bring heavier frames, shorter runtime and a wider certification scope, and they move in smaller volumes. Most buyers treat them as a top tier or a test line rather than the base of the range. Counterpoint's 88 percent AI share is also a reminder that "AI" now describes most new models: a voice assistant or translation feature in the app is becoming the expected baseline rather than a premium. The difference between the two families is set out in AI glasses vs audio glasses.
Regional signals
Two regional points stand out. Counterpoint put North America at 37 percent of global smart glasses shipments in the second half of 2025, and Omdia described China as the second largest AI glasses market after the United States, at close to one million units. For sourcing, that matters less as a sales forecast and more as a compliance and listing question: a range aimed at North America needs FCC Part 15 approval, ANSI Z80.3 optical conformity and the 21 CFR 801.410 drop ball test on the lenses, while a European range needs CE under the Radio Equipment Directive, including the EN 18031 cybersecurity standards that apply to wearable radio equipment from August 2025. The certification guide sets out the route by market.
Regional demand also changes the use case mix. Commuting and calls dominate in dense cities; sports and outdoor use matter more where cycling and running are mainstream; translation models sell into travel, trade fairs and enterprise groups. The supply side is the same in every case: temple electronics from the Shenzhen base, frames from the Henggang and Ouhai clusters, lenses from Danyang and Xiamen.
What buyers search for
Shipment data shows what was sold; search behaviour shows what buyers want to know before they buy. A desk scan of search suggestions around smart glasses returned 2,735 related phrases. Sorted by the question behind each phrase, they fall into a clear pattern.
| Theme | Phrases | What it suggests for content |
|---|---|---|
| Specifications and functions | 721 | Runtime, Bluetooth version, weight and audio must be clear on every listing |
| Standards and compliance | 246 | Buyers ask about certification early; keep documents ready |
| Materials and frames | 238 | Frame material and fit are buying criteria, not details |
| Comparisons | 207 | Comparison tables against earbuds and other types are expected |
| Applications | 180 | Use case framing - sports, office, travel - drives discovery |
| Price wording | 163 | Explain cost drivers and tiers, not price points |
| B2B and customization | 93 | A smaller but direct sourcing audience |
| Problems | 60 | Pairing, charging and fit questions feed FAQ and after-sales content |
The weight of specification and compliance questions is the practical takeaway. Shoppers compare spec sheets line by line, so the spec sheet you agree with a partner plant becomes your listing content. The note on listing content shows how to carry it through.
Turning signals into a sourcing plan
Used carefully, market signals narrow the first decisions. Most first ranges start with two or three audio-first models on a catalog or logo route, add one AI or translation model if the channel supports it, and leave display models for a later season. Typical starting quantities are 50 to 500 pairs per catalog model, 500 to 1,000 pairs per model for a logo program and from 3,000 pairs for a full custom build, with catalog samples in 5 to 10 working days - reference ranges confirmed in writing for each program on MOQ and lead time. The desk shortlists partner plants by line, gets samples onto your desk and builds the test plan for your target markets. When the shape of the range is clear, the quote form captures what the plants need to know.