Global AI glasses shipments rose 263% year over year during the first half of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. Meta led the largest part of the market with eyewear that includes AI features but no built-in display.
Counterpoint’s Intelligent Eyewear Market Tracker found that display-less products accounted for 96% of all shipments in the period, as first reported by Android Authority. Meta held 94% of that segment, where its Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses serve as a prominent example.
Screen-free models set the early market pace
Shipments of no-display eyewear increased 258% from the first half of 2025. They also rose 22% from the second half of 2025, indicating that demand continued to build after the holiday period rather than arriving in a single seasonal spike.
These devices offer smart features, including AI capabilities, without placing digital content directly in the wearer’s field of view. That format appears to have given Meta an early advantage, as the company captured nearly all shipments in the category measured by Counterpoint.
AR glasses are growing quickly from a smaller base
Augmented reality glasses posted even faster growth, with shipments up 449% year over year in H1 2026. The category remains much smaller than screen-free eyewear, however, because that percentage increase began from a comparatively low shipment base.
The split matters because it shows where buyers are currently willing to start. Display-free products avoid the technical and design challenge of integrating a visual interface, while AR hardware must overlay digital information in the user’s view. Privacy concerns around AI-equipped cameras and microphones could also shape adoption as these devices become more common in public spaces.
Counterpoint’s published summaries do not disclose total units shipped, the Meta models or markets responsible for most of its share, or a regional breakdown of demand. Apple’s timing and product plans for a possible AI-glasses entry also remain unconfirmed, leaving a major question over how quickly the current market leader will face new competition.
This article was produced with AI assistance from multi-source reporting and is published under our editorial standards.
