The bank forecasts that global shipments of smart glasses (including audio, photo, and display functions) will increase from 9.93 million units in 2025 to 86.9 million units by 2030, and the corresponding market size will grow from 19.7 billion yuan to 161.2 billion yuan, with a CAGR of 50%.
According to Zhitong Finance, Orient Securities released a research report stating that the expansion plan from CES to Meta reaffirms that smart glasses are one of the key application scenarios for on-device AI. The company remains optimistic about the smart glasses industry chain, while continuing to support major cross-border e-commerce companies in promoting new product innovations. At the same time, the company remains bullish on the global industry narrative around AI applications, with B2B cross-border e-commerce companies leveraging AI to increase revenue and the potential to develop AI buy-side tools, while B2C cross-border e-commerce companies are leveraging AI to improve operational efficiency.
Orient Securities’ main viewpoints are as follows.
China’s AI smart glasses make a shocking debut at CES. Meta plans to expand smart glasses production capacity
1) CES 2026 was held in Las Vegas, USA from January 6th to 9th, attracting more than 4,500 exhibitors, including approximately 1,000 Chinese companies.
2) Smart glasses emerged as a popular trend at this year’s CES, with Chinese brands occupying over 90% of the core exhibition area (LVCC Central Hall). More than 50 companies participated in the event, including Thunderbird, XREAL, INMO, Rokid, Xingji Meizu, and Alibaba.
3) Three key highlights: ① Thunderbird Innovation announced the world’s first dual-lens full-color AR glasses with eSIM functionality, which integrates eSIM communication module and 4G protocol support, enabling independent operation without a smartphone. ② Rokid has launched a new AI glasses model Rokid Style, which weighs only 38.5 grams, for overseas markets. ③ Xgimi Technology announced the MemoMind smart glasses brand with single-lens display Memo Air Display weighing only 28.9 grams.
4) Meta and EssilorLuxottica plan to increase production capacity of AI-powered smart glasses to more than 20 million units by the end of the year. The company is also discussing the possibility of establishing annual production capacity of more than 30 million units if demand is strong enough.
Smart glasses development is expected to accelerate, and eyewear industry chains will be the first to benefit.
1) The company predicts that the total global shipments of smart glasses (including audio, photo, and display functions) will increase from 9.93 million units in 2025 to 86.9 million units in 2030, and the corresponding market size will grow from 19.7 billion yuan to 161.2 billion yuan, with a CAGR of 50%. 2) The company believes that: ① Although smart glasses are standardized products, the levels of myopia and astigmatism of consumers vary widely (“individual-specific”). Smart glasses brands need to work with eyewear companies to customize their products to reach the end consumer. ② Weight is one of the important factors influencing consumer decision making. Optical companies that can manufacture ultra-thin lenses and master bonding techniques have a vital position in the supply chain. ③ Consumer education on smart glasses relies heavily on offline channels, and eyewear retailers with a robust channel network are equally important.
Leading outbound companies like Anker Innovations, Ugreen Technology, and Jackery showcased key product categories at CES
1) Anker Innovations showcased flagship new products across multiple areas, including charging and energy storage, audiovisual entertainment, and smart home devices, four of which won CES Innovation Awards. 2) Ugreen Technology launched 3 series of storage, security and charging to build a comprehensive smart ecosystem. The NAS iDX6011 and iDX6011 Pro series feature high-performance hardware configurations and integrate powerful local artificial intelligence capabilities, redefining the product format for consumer AI NAS. Additionally, the company is the first to systematically demonstrate the SynCare smart home security ecosystem. 3) Jackery New Energy has developed a “total consumer solar power storage” strategy and announced several new products, including the Jackery Solar Gazebo solar canopy, the Jackery Solar Mars Bot solar powered Mars robot, and the portable solar generator Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra.
Risk warning: increased industry competition, slower-than-expected commercialization of AI applications, lower-than-expected adoption of smart glasses.
