NEW DELHI — Global shipments of augmented reality smart glasses nearly doubled in 2025, reaching a record high as demand surged and artificial intelligence features became more widely integrated, according to a report released Monday.
Data from Counterpoint Research showed shipments rose 98 percent year over year, with growth accelerating in the second half of the year. During that period, shipments jumped 148 percent compared to a year earlier.
Video-focused AR smart glasses recorded strong demand, growing more than 80 percent year over year in the second half of 2025. However, the fastest growth came from waveguide-based devices, where shipments surged more than 600 percent during the same period.
The share of waveguide-based AR glasses in total shipments climbed sharply to 38 percent in the second half of 2025, up from 13 percent a year earlier, reflecting a rapidly evolving competitive landscape.
Analysts attributed the surge in waveguide-based devices to the increasing integration of artificial intelligence, which is enabling features such as real-time translation, navigation, and image recognition.
According to the report, AR smart glasses with AI capabilities accounted for about 70 percent of waveguide-based shipments in the second half of the year, compared to negligible levels the year before. China and the United States emerged as key markets driving adoption.
Counterpoint said it expects the growth momentum to continue as manufacturers expand globally, new companies enter the market, and production processes for key components such as displays and optics improve.
However, the report cautioned that rising memory prices and geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran could pose challenges for the industry by affecting supply chains and overall economic conditions.
A separate report released in March also highlighted strong momentum in the sector, noting a 139 percent year-over-year increase in shipments during the second half of calendar year 2025.
India saw particularly rapid growth, with shipments rising 15-fold in the second half of the year following Meta’s official launch in the country in May 2025. Despite the surge, India accounted for only about 2 percent of global shipments, according to the report. (Source: IANS)
