Smart Glasses stories
The market's rapid expansion is fuelling privacy and cost concerns as display-less models make up 96% of shipments and Meta holds 94%.
Cheap smart glasses are raising privacy fears as experts warn they could make covert filming easier in public and private spaces alike.
Most operators expect AI services to drive new revenue, but nearly half say optical network upgrades are critical to meet demand.
Telecom operators face urgent network upgrades as most expect AI and managed fibre services to be major new revenue sources.
Higher-priced smartwatches and earbuds are expected to drive more than USD $1 trillion in wearables revenue by 2032, Counterpoint says.
Snap is edging towards one billion monthly users as advertising and subscription sales help lift quarterly revenue 19% to USD $1.60 billion.
Momentum is shifting to lighter wearables as VR headset shipments fell 17% and rising memory costs squeeze profit margins across the sector.
The record outlay underscores the group's push into AI, health and payments as emissions fell and carbon neutrality continued for a fifth year.
Pre-orders open in the United States, United Kingdom and France for Snap's standalone glasses, priced at USD $2,195 and due later this year.
The sports-focused device adds AI eyewear to New Zealand shelves, with a built-in camera, voice controls and up to nine hours' battery life.
Australian gamers and streamers can now buy Viture's lighter XR glasses and dock, with prices starting at AUD $179 in major retailers.
Privacy safeguards and live translation features are designed to ease consumer concerns as the AUD $799 glasses enter Australia's smart eyewear market.
Blind and low-vision customers will be able to complete routine banking tasks by video call without visiting a branch, as NatWest tests the service.
Higher phone prices have not curbed demand, with premium devices accounting for 56% of Australian smartphone sales in the first half of 2026.
Privacy advocates say covert recording risks in changing rooms and beaches make the devices a public safety issue, not a novelty.
Retailers face mounting pressure as privacy advocates warn the glasses could let shoppers film people covertly in public and private spaces.
Labour shortages could slow repairs and raise outage risk, as TP Reach lets junior technicians get remote help from senior engineers on site.
Record attendance and a wider startup pitch contest signalled Macao's growing role as a regional hub for AI and hardware investment.
Australian shoppers can now pre-order Rokid's 49g AI glasses, which offer live translation, voice controls and ChatGPT support.
The new tools let users approve and track agent-led spending, as Alipay bets on trusted AI payments to drive commercial use.
