Display-less smart glasses shipped roughly 2.25 million units in the first quarter of 2026, up 167% year over year, according to IDC. That single quarter nearly matched what the whole category moved across all of 2024. This page collects verified shipment, share and pricing data from IDC, Counterpoint Research and EssilorLuxottica, and keeps each measurement labeled.
Augmented Reality Market
Who Leads the Augmented Reality Market in 2026?
Meta Platforms held 69.2% of XR device shipments in the first quarter of 2026, per IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker and Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker.
IDC had put Meta at 75.7% in the third quarter of 2025, on the combined strength of its Quest and Ray-Ban lines.
The unnamed remainder now sits second. IDC groups a long tail of Chinese and global brands at 19.8% for Q1 2026, ahead of the four named challengers individually.
| Vendor | Q3 2025 share | Q1 2026 share |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | 75.7% | 69.2% |
| Xiaomi | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| XREAL | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| RayNeo | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| Viture | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Others | Not published | 19.8% |
Measurement: share of worldwide XR device shipments (headsets plus glasses). Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker and Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker, Q3 2025 and Q1 2026.
IDC names Google, Samsung and Snap as the challengers assembling against Meta, and notes all three share a requirement for a smartphone connection.
IDC also credits Meta’s distribution through EssilorLuxottica, describing how the Ray-Ban owner’s retail network places the frames in optician shops rather than only electronics stores.
How Fast Is the Augmented Reality Market Growing?
Counterpoint Research recorded 139% year-over-year growth in global smart glasses shipments in the second half of 2025. Its tracker counts glasses without see-through displays and excludes AR display glasses.
Growth has not been steady. The rate ran 156% in 2023 and 210% in 2024, then 110% in the first half of 2025 before returning to 139%.
Counterpoint says the 2024 result carried a milestone: the category passed two million units for the first time.
| Period | YoY shipment growth | Meta share of shipments |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 (full year) | 156% | Not published |
| 2024 (full year) | 210% | Over 60% |
| H1 2025 | 110% | 73% |
| H2 2025 | 139% | 82% |
Measurement: worldwide smart glasses unit shipments, excluding see-through display AR glasses. Source: Counterpoint Research Global Smart Glasses Model Shipments Tracker, 2023 to H2 2025.
Xiaomi, counted with its Mijia ecosystem brand, ranked second behind Meta in H2 2025. Its shipments grew more than 200% year over year following the 26 June 2025 launch of the Xiaomi AI Glasses.
AI Glasses Now Carry Most of the Volume
AI smart glasses reached 88% of smart glasses shipments in H2 2025, per Counterpoint Research. The firm applies that label to models with an AI-capable processor, microphones, speakers and a camera.
The same measure read 46% in H1 2024, 66% in H2 2024 and 78% in H1 2025.
Basic smart audio glasses took the remainder. Their retail ASP fell to around $63 in H2 2025, while AI glasses averaged about $360, up from $347 in H1 2025.
Augmented Reality Market Forecast by Device Category
IDC splits its 2026 to 2030 XR hardware forecast three ways. The fastest unit growth belongs to the devices that actually render an image.
Optical see-through glasses compound at 41.9% and reach 12.2 million units in 2030, overtaking mixed reality headsets. Display-less glasses stay the largest category by volume and grow slowest.
| Category | 2026 units | 2030 units | Unit CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display-less smart glasses | 13.6M | 27.3M | 18.9% |
| Optical see-through glasses | 3.0M | 12.2M | 41.9% |
| Mixed reality headsets | 3.2M | 10.4M | 34.4% |
Measurement: forecast worldwide unit shipments. Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker and Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker, forecast published June 2026.
Falling Prices Split the Augmented Reality Market
IDC expects display-less ASPs to slide from about $376 in 2026 to roughly $229 in 2030. Mixed reality holds far better, moving from $742 to $682.
That gap shows up in revenue. IDC puts mixed reality unit growth at 34.4% against value growth of 31.6%, with revenue rising from $2.4 billion in 2026 to $7.1 billion in 2030.
Optical see-through ASPs are forecast to hold in the $516 to $547 range. Display-less revenue is put at $5.1 billion in 2026 and $6.4 billion in 2027.
How Big Is the Augmented Reality Market? Estimates Disagree
Two research firms publish modeled totals for AR revenue, and they do not agree on either year.
Grand View Research values the market at USD 120.2 billion for 2025 and USD 170.0 billion for 2026. Mordor Intelligence puts the same two years at USD 99.81 billion and USD 125.11 billion.
These figures measure vendor revenue across hardware and software under each firm’s own scope definition. They are not device shipments and do not line up with IDC’s tracked device numbers.
| Published figure | Grand View Research | Mordor Intelligence |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 market value | USD 120.2B | USD 99.81B |
| 2026 market value | USD 170.0B | USD 125.11B |
| Long-range forecast | USD 1,050.6B by 2033 | USD 387.23B by 2031 |
| Stated CAGR | 29.7% (2026–2033) | 25.35% (2026–2031) |
Measurement: modeled AR market revenue, each under its own published scope. Sources: Grand View Research augmented reality market report, 2026–2033 edition; Mordor Intelligence augmented reality market report, 2026–2031 edition, page last updated 23 July 2026.
The segment splits diverge too. Grand View gives North America 34.0% of 2025 AR revenue; Mordor gives North America 44.42% of its own 2025 total.
On verticals, Mordor names gaming and entertainment the largest at 36.26% of 2025 revenue. Grand View names industrial and manufacturing as its largest 2025 application segment.
Where Augmented Reality Glasses Ship
North America took 37% of global smart glasses shipments in H2 2025, per Counterpoint Research. Western Europe reached 30%.
China fell to 6% from 13% in H1 2025, even as its shipment volume rose. Counterpoint attributes the drop to launches that shipped in limited quantities.
India held 2% of global volume. Counterpoint recorded 15x shipment growth there in H2 2025, following Meta’s official launch in the country in May 2025.
What the Augmented Reality Market Data Shows
EssilorLuxottica reported above 7 million AI-glasses units sold in full-year 2025 across Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta. It is the only unit figure on this page reported by a company about its own sales.
The group’s results release dated 28 July 2026 says AI glasses revenue almost doubled in the second quarter of 2026. No new unit count accompanied it.
IDC research director Ramon T. Llamas said in December 2025 that both Apple and Google bring expertise, applications and an installed base of users to the category.
Treat the headline market size with the most care. The two firms publishing modeled totals put 2026 at USD 125.11 billion and USD 170.0 billion, and neither figure counts the same thing IDC counts.
FAQs
How many smart glasses shipped in Q1 2026?
Display-less smart glasses shipped roughly 2.25 million units worldwide in Q1 2026, up 167% year over year, according to IDC. Eyewear with displays, tracked separately in IDC’s ARVR segment, grew 86% over the same quarter.
Why do Reddit posts cite different Meta market share numbers?
Scope and period. IDC put Meta at 69.2% of XR device shipments in Q1 2026. Counterpoint Research put Meta at 82% of smart glasses shipments in H2 2025. Reddit threads often mix the two.
How big is the augmented reality market in 2026?
Modeled estimates differ. Mordor Intelligence values 2026 at USD 125.11 billion; Grand View Research values it at USD 170.0 billion. Both model total vendor revenue, not shipments. IDC’s tracked display-less glasses revenue for 2026 is USD 5.1 billion.
Which AR device category grows fastest through 2030?
Optical see-through glasses, at a 41.9% unit CAGR in IDC’s forecast. The category moves from 3.0 million units in 2026 to 12.2 million in 2030, passing mixed reality headsets, which reach 10.4 million.
Do Reddit claims about falling smart glasses prices hold up?
Partly. IDC forecasts display-less ASPs dropping from about $376 in 2026 to roughly $229 in 2030. Mixed reality barely moves, going from $742 to $682, so the Reddit shorthand only fits one category.
