Xiaomi and Huawei are taking over the smart glasses market in China

Sales of smart glasses in China are growing rapidly, with IDC predicting shipments will reach 2.9 million devices in 2025 – up 121% year-on-year. Demand growth is being driven by price cuts and the expansion of AI-powered features.

First-quarter sales more than doubled

From January through March 2025, 494,000 smart glasses were shipped to the market – 116% more than in the same period in 2024. Audio playback and recording models led the way, accounting for 359,000 units, nearly tripling last year’s total.

According to IDC, the rapid market expansion is due to cheaper products, better logistics and increased consumer interest.

Xiaomi and Huawei strengthen position, offline sales rise

Xiaomi and Huawei lead the way in online sales, while smaller brands are banking on new features – such as real-time translation and health monitoring. Big players including Huawei, Alibaba and ByteDance are actively investing in the segment, intensifying competition.

Glasses with artificial intelligence features remain the main driver, accounting for 78% of all shipments in the first quarter. Offline sales are also showing growth, up 75% year-over-year.

IDC predicts the market will grow even stronger in the second half of 2025, thanks to seasonal sales. Analyst Wang Haoyu notes that smart glasses are gradually moving beyond a niche technology, with applications in fitness, business, and accessibility coming soon.

Smart glasses are also expected to grow in the second half of 2025, driven by seasonal sales.

The growth rate of the Chinese market is already overtaking international competitors such as Ray-Ban smart glasses. In 2026, analysts estimate that competition could escalate into what is known as the “war of a hundred lenses.”