The fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and wearables has stirred fervor among Chinese tech firms, eager to capitalize on the trend set ablaze by Ray-Ban’s introduction of Meta smart glasses. The latest entrant to the AI smart eyewear arena is Superhexa, a Xiaomi-backed startup, which recently unveiled its AI-powered audio glasses, Jiehuan.
Jiehuan distinguishes itself in the market not only through its competitive pricing of 699 yuan (roughly USD 98) but also by its sophisticated functionality. The glasses provide quick and seamless access to large language models (LLMs)—the same robust technology behind intelligent chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT—thanks to its integrated speakers and microphones.
According to Xia Yongfeng, the founder and CEO of Superhexa, utilizing such advanced technology through eyewear is a logical step forward. “It took millions of years for humans to evolve and develop two hands; it’s a waste to have one hand holding a smartphone,” Xia told local news outlet tmtpost.com.
The rapid evolution of generative AI technologies has imbued smart glasses with unprecedented intelligence, thus elevating user interest. Today, wearers can engage in instant queries about their surroundings or receive real-time translations through built-in LLMs.
Ray-Ban and Meta Platforms have led this revolution. Since integrating AI into their $300 smart glasses equipped with cameras last year, they have witnessed a spike in sales. Francesco Milleri, CEO of EssilorLuxottica, the Italian-French conglomerate behind Ray-Ban, revealed that the latest versions sold more units in mere months than their predecessors did in two years.
Market projections by Sinolink Securities estimate that shipments of such smart glasses will hit 2 million units by year-end, dwarfing last year’s total of 480,000 augmented reality glasses.
Chinese firms are now stepping into this burgeoning market, offering feature-rich alternatives to the Ray-Ban models but at a fraction of the cost. For instance, the Jiehuan glasses promise 11 hours of music playback and up to half a month of standby time, all within a lightweight frame of 30 grams. Additional functionalities include voice-guided navigation, AI chat, and audio translation.
Though some users, as shared on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, praise Jiehuan for its blend of style and quality, issues such as inadequate voice recognition in noisy settings have been noted.
In recent months, startups like Liweike from Hangzhou and Sharge from Shenzhen, alongside established tech giants like Huawei Technologies, have launched their interpretations of AI glasses. However, analysts like Ivan Lam from Counterpoint caution about the potential market saturation and the necessity for optimizing weight and battery life to foster broader adoption.
Recognizing this, companies are increasingly focusing on reducing device weight and enhancing style. Hong Kong-based Solos is set to challenge Ray-Ban and Meta with its new AirGo smart glasses this fall, featuring a camera and weighing 30 grams. Meanwhile, Realities, a one-year-old startup from Shenzhen, has prioritized aesthetics with its G1 glasses, which feature LED microdisplays.
Brilliant Labs, initially founded in Hong Kong and now operating out of Singapore, has ventured into the market with the Frame smart glasses, priced at $350. Co-founder and CEO Bobak Tavangar emphasizes an open-source approach to encourage innovation across diverse applications, from aiding individuals with autism to assisting medical professionals with AI-driven second opinions.
Despite the affordable price point of Superhexa’s Jiehuan, most of these pioneering companies are eyeing markets outside China, where access to international AI models is less restricted.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), a publication renowned for its comprehensive coverage of China and Asia for over a century. For more in-depth stories, visit the SCMP app or follow SCMP on Facebook and Twitter. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.