Apple's Vision Pro headset isn't the only game in town when it comes to spatial computing. And others are taking different approaches.
Last week, at the CES 2024 tech trade show, competitors announced a bunch of new headsets for augmented, virtual and mixed reality.
Apple tried to get a jump on rivals at the show by announcing preorder and release dates for its headset the day before CES 2024 opened.
Companies promoting computer headsets at CES included Big Tech players like Meta Platforms, Sony, China's TCL and Taiwan's Asus.
The conference also saw a host of startups showcasing their spins on spatial computing, the preferred new term for the previous catchall phrases of mixed reality or extended reality.
Smaller players that exhibited at CES included DigiLens, Nimo Planet, Vuzix and Xreal.
Meanwhile, Apple will begin taking preorders for its Vision Pro headset on Friday, with availability starting Feb. 2. But with a starting price of $3,499, Apple Vision Pro isn't expected to be a mainstream product.
Judging from headsets on display at CES 2024, companies are slicing the market in different ways. Products range from audio-only smartglasses to augmented reality specs and virtual reality headgear.
AR Headset Market Still Developing
"The competition for the future of spatial computing hasn't even started yet," Xreal co-founder Peng Jin told Investor's Business Daily. "We're still at a stage where we're competing on product vision not on product execution yet."
Products coming to market are just "rough ideas" of what future AR devices will look like, he said.
At CES 2024, Xreal demonstrated its Xreal Air 2 Ultra AR glasses. Priced at $699 and available in March, the new smartglasses aim to compete with Apple Vision Pro at a fraction of the price.
The Xreal Air 2 Ultra smartglasses have two 3D cameras, allowing users to interact with virtual elements with their hands. The Ultra headset has bright, high-resolution displays with a 52-degree field of view.
Xreal Is Current AR Headset Leader
Xreal is pitching the Air 2 Ultra smartglasses as a full-fledged spatial computing device, but it's aimed primarily at developers.
"While wearable displays are still the main focus (of the industry) to gain customer traction, the focus of our development is on integrated AR experiences," Jin said.
Xreal also has a partnership with automaker BMW to explore the use of AR smartglasses to provide visual navigation cues for drivers.
In the third quarter last year, Xreal had 51% market share in the nascent AR headset space, according to research firm IDC. Xreal estimates having about 45% market share today.
Since 2019, the company has shipped 350,000 sets of smartglasses, marketed as wearable displays.
Meta's Smartglasses, VR Headset
Elsewhere at CES 2024, Meta partner EssilorLuxottica showed off the AI-powered Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses. The glasses feature an AI assistant, which is currently in early-access testing. The conversational assistant can answer your spoken questions, identify objects and translate text, among other things. The assistant sees and hears through the camera and microphones on the glasses.
Unlike some smartglasses, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses don't have a visual display. Available since Oct. 17, the Meta smartglasses start at $299.
Meanwhile, Meta also is selling a mixed-reality headset called the Meta Quest 3. That virtual reality headset, which has augmented reality features, starts at $499.99.
Sony Enters Mixed-Reality Headset Game
Also at CES 2024, Sony surprised the media by demonstrating a mixed-reality headset for professionals who create 3D digital content. The as-yet-unnamed headset uses dual 4K OLED microdisplays and Qualcomm's XR2+ Gen 2 processor.
Sony said the headset is for "spatial content creation." Sony has teamed with industrial giant Siemens to use the device for design and engineering projects. The headset is due for release later in the year.
TCL, Asus Promote New Smartglasses
TCL debuted its next-generation AR smart glasses, the TCL RayNeo X2 Lite headset, at CES 2024. Due out later this year, the smartglasses use Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 Platform.
In addition to giving users a virtual large-screen display, the headset offers an AI assistant. The RayNeo X2 Lite supports AI-powered real-time translation, live captions and accurate 3D mapping navigation assistance.
Asus announced its AirVision M1 wearable display at CES 2024. The AirVision glasses will give users a virtual display for while flying on business trips or a second screen for multitasking.
Vuzix Focuses On Lightweight Headsets
At CES 2024, Vuzix introduced its Z100 smartglasses, which double as safety glasses for workers. The enterprise headset allows workers to receive workflow and task notifications on a heads-up display.
On Wednesday, Vuzix announced an expansive cost reduction program to streamline its operations and focus the company on select AR smartglasses products and technology development in key areas.
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