Augmented World Expo (AWE) has evolved rapidly into one of the biggest shows for seeing the future of virtual reality, smart glasses and spatial computing. This year's edition gave us some truly showstopping news with earth-shaking announcements from Snap, Qualcomm and many more.

It really feels like we're getting to the point where the lines of VR headset and smart glasses are starting to blur into one device that gives you all the performance of a big set of goggles — crammed into something the size of specs.

And while there were some key headline announcements, that key DNA of small innovations that will change the face of spatial computing in the future remained strong underneath. We were able to go hands-and face-on with several products here, and now it's time to pick the cream of the crop. Here are our picks for best of AWE 2026.

Best of show: Snap Specs

Snap's iPhone moment is here. The Snap Specs are official, and they're far beyond any other standalone glasses you've seen in terms of capability. This is what happens when you combine the tech of the best VR headsets with the portability of the best smart glasses.

The end result is more than just a technologically advanced set of frames, but rather a new paradigm in computing — moving it away from being a tool that takes you out of the world to a form that gets out of the way. They're a bit chunky, but the design around this hefty tech makes them look kinda stylish!

They've worked with developers for years with prototype hardware, and with over 5 million lenses ready to use from measuring things in free space to augmented guides on complex real-world tasks like fixing a car, and much more.

Will Specs stick the landing? That's the ultimate question of these $2,195/£1,995 glasses. That's a high price to pay — making them much more targeted towards the early adopters in this space. Time will tell what happens in the future of these glasses, but we did genuinely just witness a breakthrough moment in AR.

Jason England

Best chip: Snapdragon Reality Elite

Snapdragon Reality Elite is the high-end follow-up to the XR Gen 2 that powers the Galaxy XR headset. It comes with upgrades in performance and efficiency, powering the Xreal Aura compute puck.

In several eyes-on demos with the Xreal Aura, I've been impressed with the performance of the glasses and the processor. The glasses are responsive and quick, and I'm not saying it's the only thing that enables the Auras to connect to the Switch 2, but we played latency-free Breath of the Wild and the chip certainly helped make that happen.

This chip does what Qualcomm claims by bringing "spatial computing into the AI era." Snapdragon Reality Elite blurs the line AR glasses and VR headsets with hardware that makes spatial computing useful; now it's up to the software to catch up.

Scott Younker

Best AR glasses: Xreal Aura

The Samsung Galaxy XR is a good mixed reality headset, but for all the Android XR and Gemini features it has, they feel a little limited in the isolation of a chunky VR set you use at home.

Enter Xreal's Aura, and turns out a pair of AR glasses is the answer to a lot of this. Moving to optical see-through (OST - basically seeing the real world through lenses rather than a display) creates a real nice augmented layer with what you see in Android XR.

That compute puck packs Snapdragon Reality Elite to keep all your experiences running buttery smooth, and apps that were just fine on a VR headset become great on here, like the tabletop game Demeo for example!

Throw in a massive 70-degree field of view, and you've got another eal step towards squashing VR tech into glasses.

Jason England

Best AR Accessory: KiWear 2nd Gen smart ring

Kiwear's smart ring might just be the way we control smart glasses in the future. The ring utilizes intuitive gestures on your finger to navigate menus, open apps and even control the volume by twirling your finger in a circle.

We saw an early iteration at AWE 2025, but the version I tried this year was even better.

The second-generation version adds "whisper controls" which allow you to talk into the ring to prompt an AI assistant. This can be used for prompts or AI programs. In one example, we were able to ask about AWE using an on-device model

The ring doesn't come with health sensors like an Oura or Galaxy Ring, but maybe it doesn't need it when what you're really doing is using it as a controller for your other devices.

Scott Younker

Best VR accessory: bHaptics TactGlove

I've been impressed by the immersive bHaptics VR haptic vest and gloves in the past, and they didn't disappoint this year. The updates were minor: new motors in the palm of the glove and a redesigned VCM wrist motor, but all three proved to make demos a more interesting experience.

The two palm motors make it feel like actually holding things in your hand versus gripping with your fingers. Meanwhile, the redesigned wrist motor helps give some weight to lifting objects, especially in demos where the items were supposed to have different measurements, like a wooden block versus a metal one or a dumbbell compared to a drill.

Scott Younker

Best innovation: Lumus Waveguide display lenses

An obviously important part of smart glasses are the lenses you see through especially now that displays are being integrated into AI glasses and not just AR spectacles.

Lumus, which makes the lenses for the Meta Ray Ban Display glasses is interesting because the company builds lenses that utilize mirrors to refract the light for the images. I was told by David Goldman, Lumus's VP of marketing, that this enables the lens to be thinner, lighter and enables direct bonding of perscription layers as needed.

It makes for impressive tech when normal seeming glasses can display information and down the line even pictures and video at high resolution with decent color.

Scott Younker

Best budget AR glasses: X By Xreal a01

I've got a confession to make. While the X By Xreal a01 glasses are indeed being showcased right here at AWE, I've already had a pair for a while now — having flown around the world with them!

So this is equal parts an award pick and a small set of impressions on my time with them. And in short, they get rid of many things a lot of regular folks don't care about (3DoF tracking, electrochromic lenses), and focus on the fundamental experience most of us actually use them for: watching stuff and playing games on a private cinema display.

And the end result is a solid pair of $299 AR glasses — the picture is bright and colorful, and while there isn't any image tracking whatsoever, smooth follow does keep things far less jittery.

Jason England

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Not long after Google’s reveal of its new AI-enhanced eyewear at its I/O event, a new report has suggested that Apple’s own entry into that increasingly crowded product field is coming next year at the earliest.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in his regular Power On newsletter, has suggested that Apple’s glasses will require an additional year of development before they’re ready for primetime.

Apple’s smart glasses reportedly delayed

“There have been some bumps on the road to Apple becoming an eyewear giant,” Gurman said.

“It had initially planned to introduce its smart glasses, code-named N50, at the end of 2026 and ship them by early 2027.

“But as is often the case with major new Apple products, there have been delays. The company is now working toward launching the glasses at the end of next year, I’m told.”

One of the big pieces yet to fall into place for Apple’s renewed AI push has been Siri. The company's voice assistant/chatbot still feels woefully outdated and outgunned compared to Gemini. Siri currently taps into ChatGPT, but is expected to leverage more of Gemini in the coming months, with Gurman confirming its overhaul is still expected in 2026.

Still, Gurman also expects that the N50 glasses will move in a similar fashion to the Apple Watch by adding health tracking features in time.

“The first Apple glasses will use design elements to stand out, with oval-shaped cameras, unique colors, and multiple frame styles,” he reports.

“Over time, Apple believes the glasses could evolve into a health device and eventually incorporate augmented reality technologies capable of improving how people see.”

Vision Air is not coming soon

Of course, the other side of Apple’s eyewear business is still wholly focused on Vision Pro at present, the expensive headset that offers “spatial computing”.

The system is $3,499, and adoption has been relatively slow, with speculation rife that a ‘Vision Air’ could offer a slimmer feature set at a lower price. Gurman, however, doesn’t think it’s coming anytime soon.

“Apple has also been working on a slimmer and lighter headset to succeed the $3,499 Vision Pro, but I don’t anticipate that to launch before late 2028 or 2029,” he suggested.

“Apple needs to fix the design and pricing problems that turned the first Vision Pro into a flop, and that category will essentially be on ice until then.”

That would also suggest that the M5-toting version of the Vision Pro is essentially as good as it’ll get until then.

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Roughly 45 million people in the U.S. alone wear contact lenses. Just a fraction of those folks need to convert to smart contact lenses for the technology to potentially take off and have its "iPhone moment," says Valentyn Volkov, a cofounder of Xpanceo, one of the most promising smart contact lens startups in 2026.

Breaking down consumer technology barriers is arguably in the brand's DNA, says Roman Axelrod, Xpanceo's other cofounder. His grandfather was a Soviet engineer in the 1950s who worked on early computer systems, watching them ultimately transform into the high-power smartphones we carry today.

“He saw these little devils [smartphones], and he always laughed, 'We couldn't even have imagined that those computers we developed... that you guys will someday use them to post pictures on Instagram,'" says Axelrod.

As a contact wearer myself, I’ve been dying to learn more about the future of smart contact lenses. So, earlier this spring, I sat down for a virtual interview with Roman Axelrod and Valentyn Volkov to find out what this new wearable platform will be capable of, how it works, and perhaps most importantly, how soon I can take a pair for a spin.

Awaiting an ‘iPhone moment’

"The iPhone moment of wearable tech... will be when you leave the house, realize that you forgot your phone, and be like just, 'Oh, fine then, I have my lenses, I don't need this thing,'" states Volkov. But, how far off is that future?

According to Volkov, we may have to wait roughly ten or more years until consumer-ready smart contacts are ready for market. However, that doesn’t mean that the platform won’t be available sooner. Smart contact lenses will likely initially make their debut as medical devices or for industrial/enterprise use.

“There's literally a huge graveyard of companies behind us, very well funded, created by great professionals. So, business-to-business (B2B) first. Then by the end of the decade, we'll approach the business-to-customer (B2C) market. Of course, we'll have to take into consideration medical trials and approvals, which might take some time,” says Axelrod.

New technology, no doubt, tends to take some time before catching on and achieving its so-called mass-adoption "iPhone moment." This is to say, neither Volkov nor Axelrod seems too worried about the road ahead.

“Apple used to sell its computers to small businesses for years before it started to spread its computers more widely. You start with a very narrow use case for a very narrow consumer. Once you persuade the first generation of consumers to actually follow your product, you establish a cult of your product,” says Axelrod.

Thanks to the ubiquity of normal contact lenses among the masses, Axelrod predicts a potentially natural path to mass adoption of a ‘smart’ variant.

“In our case, of course, this largely comes to community wearing contact lenses already. There are about 150 million daily users. People are already paying daily. We need a fraction of them to start building knowledge about the product. Then, I hope that by 2033, 2035, this will be the, as we put it on the website, the largest used computing platform ever built.”

Instead of screens, a projection directly into your eye

“It is only natural to put content within the eyesight,” says Axelrod, but how is Xpanceo achieving such a seemingly difficult task without creating a bulky, uncomfortable product? Moreover, how can one focus on a display that’s located directly on the eyeball?

The simple answer: Xpanceo lenses project directly into your eye rather than out in front of it.

“The challenge is the eye was not created to see something closer than 10 centimeters. That's how we evolutionarily developed,” notes Volkov. “We have to combine our micro display with a very sophisticated electro-optical projection system, where all the rays from the display — before they reach your eye lens inside — are made parallel. Once the parallel rays go through the lens [of your eye], they will be collected in a focal point.”

Diffraction elements in the Xpanceo’s lenses ensure a sharp image that parallels what you're seeing in your other eye gets projected. And because the lenses move together with your eyeballs, the projection is visible no matter what direction you look.

However, that’s not the only advantage of Xpanceo’s smart contact lens design.

Smart-powering tomorrow’s wearable tech

“We don't need a lot of brightness in our display because it's so close to the eye. The coupling efficiency from the display to the eye is almost 100%. Which means that all the traditional problems with smart glasses when the outside illumination is getting brighter, then the contrast dies immediately [are gone]," says Volkov.

Lower display brightness also means less power consumption.

“All the systems can be operated at a microwave or at a micro watt range, which is a huge difference compared to smart glasses, where battery life is a big, big challenge. So in our case, we don't need lots of power to operate our system,” adds Volkov.

Still, the thought of a tiny battery in your eye may sound unappealing, but both Axelrod and Volkov assure me that Xpanceo smart contact lenses will be just as comfy to wear as ordinary ones.

This is partially because Xpanceo’s design features an electromagnetic harvesting antenna that alleviates the need for a bulky on-lens battery.

“The micro antenna can harvest electromagnetic energy from outside. It can also send and receive signals without obstructing the very center, the pupil of the eye. This antenna is coupled together with micro batteries, solid-state batteries integrated again inside the lens. Those batteries can be charged with the help of that antenna,” says Volkov.

A companion device for computation is essential… for now

While Xpanxeo’s smart contact lens concept sports tiny onboard batteries, very little processing is happening on the lens itself. Instead, data computation and power are handled by a companion device kept in close proximity.

“The lens comes together with a companion device. It looks like a small box where the main computational power [occurs]. It’s very important to keep the thermal balance of the lens low, “ says Volkov.

Presently, Xpanceo’s companion device looks kind of like an old-school Bluetooth earpiece, but the form factor is hardly set in stone. For instance, your smartphone or a pair of wireless earbuds could potentially fill the role.

“Basically, [the smart contacts] are a screen and also your very private electrochemical lab, biochemical lab, which can also monitor your health in real time. Then, through Bluetooth, the system does an exchange of data with the companion device, which could also be your mobile phone, in principle,” notes Volkov.

When will Xpanceo smart contact lenses actually debut?

So, when can you expect Xpanceo smart contact lenses to actually debut in some form? According to Axelrod and Volkov, as early as 2027. While the brand was unable to attend Mobile World Congress 2026, Europe’s biggest tech show, this year, due to global events outside its control, the plan is to present a working prototype at next year’s early spring show.

In fact, both Axelrod and Volkov plan to show off the tech by wearing the prototypes themselves. What might this early version promise? In addition to in-lens displays, Axelrod says that Xpanceo is aiming to include health tracking tools like 24/7 blood glucose monitoring.

Other wellness-focused variants of Xpanceo smart contact lenses may be able to detect early signs of glaucoma and/or monitor drug levels within patients with a higher degree of precision than is currently available.

Ultimately, it will probably be another decade or so before you’re popping a pair of smart contact lenses in and leaving your smartphone behind, assuming smart contact lenses actually have an “iPhone moment” and take over the world.

I, for one, long for a smartphone-free future, where the primary tech we interact with is infinitely more seamless with our body, and moreover, doesn’t require a cargo-sized pocket to haul around... like my iPhone 16 Plus.

What do you think? Would you give smart contact lenses a try if the tech were more mature? Let me know in the comments below.

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Extended reality, or XR, could just be the next big tech breakthrough. Samsung Galaxy XR is already melding Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), to make the idea of a heads-up display that would have felt like science fiction a few years ago feel like it’s here right now.

We’re unlikely to be swapping our smartphones for smart glasses instantaneously, of course, but there are a whole host of exciting developments coming that could make it more commonplace.

Here are five things to be excited about for Extended Reality (XR) going forward.

Gemini Live

Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset is already partnered up with Google Gemini, and it does a great job of adding context to the world around you.

Ask it to tell you about the type of flower you’re looking at and it’ll helpfully oblige, and you can even share your screen so a quick “Hey Google” is all you need to identify objects.

It feels like a great way to integrate AI, and perhaps makes just as much sense on a high-tech headset as it does anywhere else, since it can be that little bit more personal.

For example, you can ask Gemini for assistance in a game without necessarily describing the game, genre, or even your character - it’ll just work it out from the context available, such as the screen it’s looking at.

Android XR

As you can tell from Gemini’s involvement, Android XR is the platform of choice for XR early adopters, and it’s off to a great start.

Still, XR takes a lot of resources, simultaneously showing the world around a user and piping in regular information, and that’s before touching on the intensive processes AI, such as Gemini, requires.

Thankfully, the Samsung Galaxy XR has the Snapdragon XR2+ chipset under the hood for 20% faster CPU and 15% faster GPU processing than other headsets - plus a whopping 16GB of RAM.

A growing ecosystem

As XR grows in popularity, expect more experiences to be made for headsets and smart glasses, while the app ecosystem is also likely to grow.

Android XR is a great starting point because of the huge number of apps available, and that’ll only grow in the next few years as developers go hands on.

We’ll also likely see more functionality across devices. For example, being able to play your video games from your PC on your XR headset, or running an important presentation as if you’re in an auditorium, to help you prepare.

And when it comes to delivering that presentation? It might not be long until we’re all holding meetings in XR, despite being in different countries and on different time zones, even if you want to take your meetings in your favorite coffee shop.

Smart Glasses

Not everyone wants to wear a bulky headset, and Smart Glasses will likely be a more convenient way to enjoy XR functionality.

Samsung is already working on its own Project Haean, and could arrive as soon as this year. They’re more lightweight and fashionable than a dedicated headset, and wouldn’t need users to essentially block out the rest of the world while in use, meaning you could wear them while walking down the street to get directions or place your lunch order.

Faster Networking

We’re living in the era of 5G connectivity, which is much faster than 4G and its predecessors, but what about 6G?

We could approach an era of connectivity where it’s possible to leave your phone at home and interact with the world around you solely through your smart glasses or headset through XR.

It’s surely a way off, but it’s something to think about.

All of this doesn’t even factor in the advancements in VR in recent years, like live broadcasts, made-for-headset entertainment content, and improved control options from finger tracking to dedicated controllers - all of which applies to XR, too.

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The Galaxy XR sure looks a lot like the Vision Pro. But it does a lot of things better: It’s way lighter than the Apple’s headset, nearly half the price and it has serious AI smarts, thanks to Gemini Live integration.

I can definitely see a path from a device like this to advanced smart glasses. But should you spend $1,799 on this headset? Now that I’ve been living with the Galaxy XR, I would say the results from my testing are decidedly mixed, as there’s a lot of promise herer and also definite kinks that need to be worked out. Here’s the pros and cons in my Galaxy XR review.

Galaxy XR review: Specs

Galaxy XR review: Price and availability

The Galaxy XR is currently available only from Samsung, and you can only buy it in the U.S. and Korea. In contrast, the Apple Vision Pro enjoys much wider availability at this point — a total of 13 countries including the U.K. and Australia.

But the Galaxy XR also costs much less than Apple’s headset. You’ll pay $1,799 for the Galaxy XR, compared to $3,499 for the Apple Vision Pro. Additionally, your Galaxy XR purchase includes an Explorer pack with one-year subscriptions to Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium and Google Play Pass plus other bonuses.

Galaxy XR review: Design, weight and comfort

I’ve donned the Galaxy XR for several hours a day during my testing, and it just feels comfortable to wear. It’s way lighter than the Apple Vision Pro, and you don’t need a strap going across the top of your head to balance it all out. I never felt compelled to take off the Galaxy XR, which is a major win, and only felt a bit of pressure beneath my eyes.

The Galaxy XR weighs 545 grams, compared to 750 to 800 grams for the Vision Pro. It’s easy to adjust the Galaxy XR with the dial on the back; you just twist to tighten. There’s a forehead cushion toward the front, and you can add a thicker spacer if you need it.

The light shields for blocking out external light are optional and a bit flimsy, but they work well once in place. I prefer to have them on, but it’s nice to have the option when you’re mostly doing AR experiences instead of VR.

The Galaxy XR design feels a bit cheaper than the Vision Pro with its plastic arms and plastic battery. The buttons feel a bit chintzy by comparison, too. But I’m willing to live with those trade-offs for the price.

Yes, a battery pack is required for the Galaxy XR, and you’ll need to have it with you at all times, just like the Vision Pro.

Galaxy XR review: Displays

The Galaxy XR packs 4K micro-OLED displays (3,552 x 3,840 pixels) with a fairly generous 109-degree horizontal field of view and 100 degrees vertical. And the refresh rate is 72Hz by default and can go up to 90Hz.

By comparison, the Vision Pro’s micro-OLED screens offer slightly fewer pixels at 3,660 x 3200. Apple doesn’t publish the field of view for the Vision Pro but it’s estimated to be 100 degrees. I will say that the Vision Pro’s video passthrough looked brighter and exhibited less noise, especially in dimmer lighting.

Overall, though, the Galaxy XR delivers a crisp, clear and colorful picture, whether you’re skimming through photos, playing a game or watching Netflix.

Galaxy XR review: Interface and gestures

The Galaxy XR uses hand and eye tracking for its interface, and it’s very similar to the Vision Pro. But it doesn’t work quite as smoothly or consistently.

For example, I had to be very deliberate with my eyes to open the Quick Menu, and I often overshot options in the menu when scrolling. I do like that you can sign in with your eyes via Iris scanning so you don’t have to enter a passcode each time.

Generally speaking, the Galaxy XR’s gestures work well. You pinch to select items and pinch and move your hand to scroll. To go home at any time you can hit the power button once or pinch with your palm facing up and tap the Home button that appears. If you keep pressing, you can slide between three options: Back, Home and App Switcher. The latter comes in handy for closing apps.

If you pinch and hold with your palm facing up for a bit longer, you’ll be able to use Circle to Search. This lets you circle an item in the real world and learn more about it. I did this with a plant and it worked well, pulling up an info window right next to my scribble.

To re-center your view, you long press on the right arm of the headset; double tapping that arm toggles between the live camera pass-through and virtual environments. Unfortunately, the re-centering option didn’t always work well for me. There’s a dozen environments to choose from right now, from Oceanscape and Frozen Tundra to Northern Highlands and Desert Sands.

Unfortunately, you can’t pin apps to your wall with the Galaxy XR as you can with the Vision Pro, and there are no widgets (at least not yet).

Pressing the Galaxy XR’s top button twice launches the camera, and pressing it three times quickly lets you recalibrate eye tracking. The gesture I used the most? Long pressing the power button to launch Gemini Live, and you can choose to just chat with the assistant or share your view. You can also turn live captions on so you can see what Gemini is saying.

I choose hand and eye aiming for the default navigation method, but it’s important to note that not all apps support eye tracking. In those cases you’ll need to lift your hand and point and use your hand like a mouse.

Yes, you can type through the Galaxy XR, but the experience feels a bit clunky and sluggish compared to the Vision Pro. I’d use typing for entering passwords or tapping out a quick message. Anything longer you’re better off with voice dictation.

Galaxy XR review: Gemini Live

Gemini Live is supposed to be a big selling point for the Galaxy XR, because it’s designed to be your AI companion. You can ask all sorts of questions using your voice, but things get really interesting when you share your screen.

To launch Gemini Live you double press the power button or you can say “Hey, Google.” Though you have to set up this voice command in the Google app first.

While browsing through the Google Photos app, I asked about a purple flower in my gallery and Gemini identified it as the clematis viticella and gave me additional info about how to care for it.

Gemini Live can also give you live advice when playing a game like Diablo Immortal. When facing a powerful boss, I asked about which weapons to use, and Gemini knew what I was playing as a monk and my skills. It told me to use a targeted Cyclone strike and that did the trick.

Not sure if you want to watch that Netflix show? I asked Gemini to pull up reviews of “The Diplomat” from Rotten Tomatoes in a separate window while using the Netflix app. Pretty neat.

Gemini Live had trouble with YouTube TV when I asked it questions about a college game. And that’s because it can’t “see” DRM content on your screen. To Gemini, the screen is just blank.

Google & Samsung Apps: Photos, YouTube & Avatars

If you want to feel a bit like a god, Google Maps on the Galaxy XR is pretty entertaining. In the immersive view you can zoom in and out and travel the world with ease. And when you get to a part of a city you want to explore, there are lots of restaurants where you can take a tour inside.

It’s a bit disorienting at first, but it’s fairly easy to pan around to get the feel for a place. Getting out of this view proved more difficult than I expected; sometimes clicking the exit button didn’t work the first time.

Google Photos is easily one of the most compelling apps on the Galaxy XR. You can turn 2D photos into 3D by activating Spatial View. In a few seconds it felt like my lab mix puppy was in the room with me.

If you’re feeling creative, you can also transform your images using AI. For example, I could just make the sky blue in a photo of the Chrysler Building.

YouTube is tailor-made for the Galaxy XR, as there’s tons of 180- and 360-degree videos to watch. I put myself right in the middle of a pre-game huddle with Patrick Mahomes and his teammates before taking the field, flew over an exploding volcano in Iceland and watched some of the best trick shots ever in PGA Golf. Oddly, I had to exit certain videos twice when done.

I found YouTube TV pretty satisfying, especially when I could watch four sports channels at once in grid view. I also watched my New York Giants get trounced by the Eagles, but at least I could make the screen as big as I wanted. You can’t get this app on the Vision Pro.

If you want to watch 3D movies, there’s a smattering of them in the Google TV app. But I found that you need to be shuttled off to another app (like Peacock or Amazon) to watch them. At least with the Vision Pro, all the 3D titles are in one place.

As you’d expect there’s other Google apps like Chrome for surfing the web (including multiple windows at once), Gmail and more. I don’t get why Samsung needs to include its own browser and Gallery app, but they’re present if you want them.

The biggest dud is the Galaxy Avatar app. Sure, the Persona of you on the Vision Pro is creepy, but you have very limited options with these avatars, and I wound up not using them.

Galaxy XR review: Apps and games

So what about third-party apps? There’s not much to choose from so far — about 70 Android XR apps and counting — but there are some solid offerings.

If you want to watch videos, there’s a wide range of options. Netflix is exactly what you’d expect with no special features, but at least the Galaxy XR has a dedicated app. The Vision Pro forces you to go through Safari if you want to watch something on Netflix.

TikTok works as advertised, too, though I wish that the comments slid out from the side instead of taking up most of the screen.

As far as exclusive apps go, “Asteroid” is entertaining. You’re thrust in the middle of an action movie with NFL receiver DK Metcalf and Hailee Steinfeld in which they’re mining an asteroid for riches. And I could ask DK about pretty much anything, including how long he spent on the project and his pick for this year’s Super Bowl winner.

Project Pulsar is an ambitious video editing app that lets you add 3D objects to your footage in real time. It’s a pretty powerful tool for creators who want to experiment with spatial computing.

There’s also a range of apps you’ll find on other headsets, including the Demeo game. I had a blast controlling characters on a large game board and inflecting damage on my enemies with a roll of the die. You can play this on the Meta Quest 3, too.

You also also pretend you’re working a rave in the djay app, play your favorite tunes in Spotify and watch spatial video highlights in the NBA app or live games. There’s a wide range of fitness and boxing apps, too, though most require a payment or subscription.

If you prefer to play games with a controller, you have the whole Google Play library to choose from. I checked out Diablo Immortal and the gameplay was fairly smooth even with multiple enemies on screen, though you’re capped at 90 Hz on the Galaxy XR vs 120Hz for the Vision Pro.

The Thrasher game offered similar performance to what I get on the Vision Pro. You simply guide your dragon through multiple rings without trying to get zapped.

Galaxy XR review: Performance

Powered by the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, the Galaxy XR delivered fairly strong performance for the most part, but I noticed lag in spots and experienced some glitches. For example, typing on the virtual keyboard felt a bit slow compared to the Vision Pro.

I also noticed the Galaxy XR fan noise kicking in on several occasions when I had several apps open. It was kind of distracting, especially if I was watching a video.

I also ran into some glitches. At one point a photo stayed on screen even after I force quit the Google Photos app.

The benchmark scores aren’t pretty. On Geekbench 6, the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip inside this headset scored just 970 in the single core test and 2,242 in multi-core. The Apple Vision Pro with M5 reached 3,816 and 12,443. That’s about 10x the multi-core performance. Just keep in mind that this benchmark app isn’t native to either platform.

Galaxy XR review: PC Link

If you want to view your PC’s desktop inside the Galaxy XR headset, you can do that if you’re willing to jump through some hoops. You’ll need to install the Second Screen app on your Galaxy Book and make sure that you’re signed into your Samsung account.

From there, you need to open the Quick Settings and then click PC Link. In contrast, with the Apple Vision Pro you can just stare at your MacBook and you’ll see a Connect button you can tap. That’s it.

The desktop experience inside the Galaxy XR is okay, and the cursor and keyboard worked fairly well without much of a lag. But you can’t choose wide or ultrawide options as you can through the Vision Pro.

Galaxy XR review: Battery life

The Galaxy XR’s battery life lived up to Samsung’s claims in my testing. I got about 2 hours of general usage, but if all you’re doing is watching video that could stretch to 2.5 hours.

After about an hour of use, which included playing games, looking at photos and streaming Spotify, I was down to a 65% charge.

The Vision Pro M5 offers a bit more endurance, as it’s rated for 2.5 hours of general use and 3 hours of video.

Regardless, if you’re worried about running out of juice and don’t mind sitting close to an outlet, you can keep the Galaxy XR battery continuously charged while plugged in.

Galaxy XR review: Verdict

The Galaxy XR is a winner in many respects, starting with the design. Provided you don’t mind looking like you’re wearing ski goggles indoors, this headset is remarkably light and comfortable. It’s what the new Vision Pro should have been.

And while $1,799 is far from cheap, the price of this mixed reality headset is much more accessible than the $3,499 Vision Pro. The Gemini Live integration is another plus, if you feel comfortable sharing your screen and live view with Google’s AI assistant.

As for the Android XR apps, there just aren’t enough of them yet, which could be one reason to hold off on buying this headset. However, having YouTube and Netflix on board is pretty big, and I especially love having easy access to YouTube TV.

Another reason to potentially wait on the Galaxy XR? It feels like this headset is at least a couple of software updates away from being a more stable and consistent performer. I encountered too many glitches in my testing when doing something as simple as trying to move an app. I also want to see interactive widgets you can pin to your surroundings.

For those on a budget, the Meta Quest 3 offers lower resolution displays and a less powerful chip but access to a lot of the same apps and experiences for just $499.

So the Galaxy XR looks like it could be a winner — but I wouldn’t rush out to buy one.

It has a futuristic visor design like the Apple Vision Pro. It tracks your eyes and hands just like the Vision Pro. And it offers both AR and VR experiences just like you know what. But when I asked Kihwan Kim, Samsung executive vice president and head of the Immersive S/W R&D Group, what makes the new Galaxy XR stand out and who the target audience is for its $1,799 headset, he had an interesting answer.

“It's more like a new category that kicks off how to best experience and communicate with the AI agent, Kim said. And that multimodal AI agent is Gemini Live.

Powered by the new Android XR platform, the Galaxy XR can see what you see while you’re using the headset, so you can ask questions about what’s in front of you, get real-time advice while playing a game or ask Google to take you to an exact location in Google Maps — and even inside that restaurant you were thinking of going to for a closer look around.

That’s where Google comes in, and I also had a chance to interview Sharham Izadi, vice president and GM of AR/X at Google about the importance of having this persistent AI co-pilot by your side at all times and how it potentially redefines mixed reality devices. Here’s what Kim and Izadi had to say about the Galaxy XR — and the smart glasses from Samsung and Google that are coming next.

Who is the Galaxy XR for?

While the $1,799 Galaxy XR is nearly half the price of the $3,499 Vision Pro, that’s still several hundred dollars more than most of the best phones and even some of the best laptops. So who is the Galaxy XR for?

“We think it will be a lot of tech enthusiasts that will buy this device,” said Izadi. “Whether you're an AI enthusiast and you want the richest Gemini experience, or if you're a Galaxy fan that's excited about this new category.”

In addition to tech enthusiasts, Izadi anticipates that the Galaxy XR will also attract developers who want to be on the forefront of creating new experiences that marry AI and AR.

For Kim, getting the hardware right was just part of the equation. And Samsung could have launched its headset sooner sooner, but they believed they had to nail the experience first before bringing the Galaxy XR to market.

“Of course, some people might say just cheaper, cheaper, cheaper, lighter, lighter, lighter,” said Kim. “But we really wanted to figure out what's the right spot that people can really enjoy, that we believe that this is like a new experience that we can offer.”

Why Gemini Live changes everything

A lot of people have been waiting for a so-called killer app with mixed reality headsets, but for Samsung and Google, it’s actually Gemini Live, plus whatever app you might happen to be using.

The multi-modal AI assistant has been a big hit on phones, but it makes even more sense on something like the Galaxy XR because you don’t have to hold the device in front of you. You’re already wearing it.

“This is the richest contextual awareness device,” said Izadi. “It can understand your virtual content and the physical world around you when you're in pass through mode. It can understand what you're gesturing and what you're pointing at, even your emotions, which we can use in the avatar technology as well.”

Gemini was so instrumental in the development of the Galaxy XR and Android XR itself that it “massively changed our course,” according to Izadi. And Google wound up rebuilding Android XR based on it.

Let’s say you were looking at a video and there was something that was really hard to recall. So you could say, “there was a tree in that last video that I was looking at. What was that tree?” And that’s because Gemini is paying attention to all the pixels all the time. So Gemini Live on the Android XR has a memory of sorts.

“It gives you this kind of superpower of memory that you can recall,” said Izadi.

And I promise you’ve never seen a Google Maps like this. You can ask Gemini to take you to a place or to a web page relating to it, and then you go on what amounts to virtual travels with Gemini by your side.

Izadi likens it to hyperlinking, but I think of it as hyperjumping within apps and even across apps in a conversational way.

During my Galaxy XR hands-on time, I noticed that you need to take a couple of steps to invoke Gemini Live (long press the top right button, then select a menu option) so I asked if Samsung and Google could remove that friction given how integral mulit-model AI is to the user experience. That’s being looked into.

The right price and (hopefully) the right trade-offs

Given all of the technology packed into the Galaxy XR at $1,799, including its Snapdragon XR2+ chip, high-resolution micro-OLED displays, eye- and hand-tracking and 3D photo and video capture, it’s notable that the Galaxy XR is a whopping $1,700 less than the Vision Pro.

For Samsung’s Kim, part of that hinged on deciding on the “amount of the computation needed.” He also noted how important the collaboration was between Samsung, Google and Qualcomm.

Since the Galaxy XR requires an external battery tethered to the headset just like the Vision Pro, I had to ask whether they explored any designs with the battery integrated into the headset itself. The answer is yes, but that approach didn’t go well.

“Of course, there's pros and cons, so we're pretty happy with what we have right now,” said Kim.

Smart glasses are next… but headsets aren’t going away

For Samsung and Google, the Galaxy XR represents an important first step for what’s next for AI and AR. And both companies are working on smart glasses that will integrate a display and Gemini. But they don’t see them as a replacement for headsets — more like a continuum of devices.

“If you want to get immersed, have focus, have the best kind of viewing experience possible. It's going to be a headset,” said Izadi. “ It's going to be more akin to a laptop and desktop experience, whether it's gaming or maybe a TV experience, And then when you're on the go, it'll be a glasses form factor, where it's really about instant access to Gemini to ask quick questions or get navigation from point A to point B.”

Izadi sees headsets getting lighter and lighter but not necessarily a point where the two categories converge.

Meanwhile, Samsung doesn’t necessarily see just two categories going forward. “We’re moving on this long trajectory, and nobody knows what will be the final goal,” said Kim. “We’ll be expanding into new categories.”

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung Galaxy XR hands-on: Our first impressions
• Apple Vision Pro M5 review
• The best smart glasses right now

The Samsung Galaxy XR almost seems like it was created to address the pain points people have about the Apple Vision Pro.

Hate a heavy headset? This device is significantly lighter. Still waiting for a smarter Siri? The Galaxy XR has deep integration with Gemini Live and sees what you see. Don’t have $3,500 to blow? At $1,799, the Galaxy XR is almost half the price, though it’s still pricey.

But the Galaxy XR also arrives at a time when the entire industry is questioning the existence of mixed reality headsets. Why invest in one of these things when the holy grail is really a pair of smart glasses with a display? I got a chance to go hands-on with the Galaxy XR running Google’s Android XR software, and it certainly pushes the category forward. But it also has some drawbacks. Here’s my first impressions.

Design

The Galaxy XR looks a lot like the Apple Vision Pro with its visor-like look, but it’s also sleeker and lighter. It weighs just 545 grams (1.2) pounds, compared to 600-650 grams (1.3-1.4 pounds) for the Vision Pro.

After wearing the headset for several minutes, I didn’t feel neck discomfort or as much head pressure as I have with the Vision Pro. And that’s a major plus if you’re going to be doing things like watching full-length movies or watching four football games at once. It’s also very easy to put the Galaxy XR on and simple to adjust with a rotating mechanism on the back that tightens the fit.

The light shield is optional and comes in two parts for the left and right eyes. It was a bit tricky attaching this accessory, but it’s nice to have the option to lose the shield if you’re focusing on XR experiences as opposed to more immersive VR ones. Still, even with the light shield on I noticed a bit of light leakage on the extreme left and right sides.

There’s a power button on the top right side (which invokes Gemini with a long press), a volume slider on the top left side and a touch panel integrated into the right arm of the headset.

What it feels like to use

Powered by a Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip and capable of displaying a 4K picture in each eye, the Galaxy XR felt fairly responsive during my hands-on time, but it wasn’t quite as smooth as the Vision Pro.

For instance, dragging and moving windows around proved trickier than I anticipated. And the eye tracking felt a step behind my gaze as the on-screen cursor lagged a bit in spots. The live video view looked a bit dim, just like the Vision Pro, and it feels like you’re one step removed from reality.

At least the gestures are fairly intuitive. You just pinch your thumb and index finger to select items and scroll by waving your hand up and down or side to side. Zooming in and out was also easy by pinching your hands together. I had no problem pulling up the main menu at any time by pinching my fingers together with my palm facing up.

I like that you can activate Gemini Live at any time by long-pressing the right button and then selecting whether you want to just chat or share your entire screen. But I think this process could be made even easier with a voice command. That way there’d be less friction.

Galaxy XR apps and experiences

I tried a wide range of Galaxy XR apps and saw some demos of others, and it’s clear that Gemini integration aims to be a selling point. For example, within the Google Maps app you can ask Gemini Live to take you to a certain location and then ask about restaurants you might want to visit. And there’s even some eateries you can physically step inside to get a tour.

The Google Photos app will tug at your heart strings. You can bring old photos to life through AI, which turns still images into short videos. And you can ask Gemini about anything you see for more information.

If you’re playing a game like Stardew Valley, you can ask Gemini for tips as you’re playing and the assistant will deliver them live without having to open a separate app. It’s like having a copilot for mixed reality.

As you might expect, circle to search works in Android XR environment through the Galaxy XR device just as well as it does on your phone. Actually, it’s better because you can search for things in the real-world through live video pass-through. Not that I would wear this headset in public.

One of the coolest apps is Adobe Pulsar, which is exclusive to the Galaxy XR. You can edit videos right in front of you and add 3D graphic elements. You can also ask Gemini to generate titles for your clips.

YouTube is a big deal on the Galaxy XR, as there’s already tons of VR 180 and 360 videos available. And I got to see a fighter jet up close and personal as it took off into the sky. You are fully immersed in the content and again you can ask questions in real time about the videos you’re watching, thanks to Gemini.

There’s also a native Netflix app for Android XR, though it seemed pretty straightforward and not very exciting.

The more intriguing demo is Asteroid, an interactive film with DK Metcalf (yes, the NFL receiver). You can ask DK questions about pretty much anything during the experience, and his character can even speak back to you in different languages. But the graphics themselves didn’t look great; it felt more like a game than a movie.

The one demo I’m most excited to experience is spatial multiview for YouTube TV. You can watch up to four games at once and move any of the windows wherever you want. It could be ultimate viewing experience for NFL fans.

Outlook

Right now it doesn’t seem like a great time to launch a mixed reality headset given the momentum behind smart glasses. But for those who are looking for a more immersive, sit-down experience, the Galaxy XR is certainly worth a look.

It’s way cheaper than the Apple Vision Pro and it’s also noticeably lighter and more comfortable to wear for extended periods. Having Gemini Live on board is also pretty transformative. But $1,799 is still a lot of money for a device you’ll mostly use at home, and the new M5 Vision Pro should keep Apple in the performance lead.

But if you want a sneak peek of what the future of mixed reality looks like, the Galaxy XR looks like a solid evolutionary step forward for spatial computing.

It’s been almost two years since the original Apple Vision Pro launched. So I’m kind of shocked by how little new the Vision Pro M5 brings to the table — or more aptly, your face. The Vision Pro 2025 (still a gulp-inducing $3,499) packs a powerful M5 chip for improved performance and visuals, and it also enables longer battery life. Plus, Apple has partially addressed the comfort issue by including a comfier Dual Knit Band.

That’s it for the newness. The design is nearly identical to the original model, and you still need to schlep around a battery pack. High-profile apps like Netflix and YouTube are still missing. There’s no multi-modal AI to speak of either as Apple continues work on the next Siri.

But the Vision Pro still frequently amazed me. It feels like the future when you pin the photos widget to your space and peer through it like a window. I got a thrill out of an immersive movie that put me inside Yankee Stadium. And it’s pretty wild to see other Personas in a virtual meeting space as you pass around a 3D model. So where does that leave this spatial computing device? Here’s the pros and cons in my Vision Pro M5 review.

Vision Pro M5 Cheat Sheet

Who is it for? People who want to experience spatial computing and are willing to pay a premium

What does it cost? from $3,499

What I like: Faster M5 chip with better visuals, longer battery life and comfier strap

What I don’t like: Just as pricey and the Vision Pro is still missing important apps like Netflix and YouTube. And there’s no Visual Intelligence or advanced Siri.

Vision Pro M5 design: Comfier and heavier?!

The good news is that the Vision Pro M5 is much more comfortable to wear than the original. The bad news is that it’s even heavier.

The new Dual Knit band takes a best-of-both-worlds approach, combining the soft mesh fabric of the Solo Knit Band with the stability of the Dual Loop Band, so there’s a strap that goes behind and across the top of your head. I adjusted the Dual Knit band via Apple’s ingenious dial. You just rotate to tighten the lower strap and then pop it out and twist to adjust the top band.

This new band is critical because this is still a hefty headset. The Apple Vision Pro weighs 26.4-28.2 ounces (750-800 grams, depending on the light seal), compared to 21.2-22.9 ounces (600-650 grams) for the previous model. However, the new band adds to that weight.

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy XR is tipped to weigh just 19.2 ounces (545 grams). And it doesn’t require a second strap going across the top of your head. Maybe I’m being a bit vain, but I don’t like that the Vision Pro is guaranteed to mess up your hair.

I will say that the Vision Pro is comfier to wear for longer sessions. I felt less pressure by eyes after 30 minutes and no neck strain, which is an improvement.

The overall interface is just as intuitive as before, as the Vision Pro smoothly and accurately tracks your eyes and fingers, whether you’re opening an app with a pinch, pinching and scrolling or launching Control Center by flipping your hand around.

Vision Pro M5 Chip: Slightly better performance, longer battery life

The new M5 chip inside the Vision Pro is designed to deliver sharper details and smoother performance. You get 10% more pixels and up to 120Hz refresh rates.

I compared the Vision Pro M5 vs the original Vision Pro M2 side by side, and the new model loaded Fruit Ninja a few seconds faster. The graphics did look crisper in my sunroom, but it wasn’t a huge difference. The live pass-through view through the Vision Pro M5 also exhibits less motion blur. So when you’re looking around it feels more like real life than a broadcast of your surroundings.

The biggest benefit of the M5 chip inside the Vision Pro is actually the extra endurance. It’s rated for 2.5 hours of “general use” and 3 hours of video playback, compared to 2 hours/2.5 hours for the previous model.

After using the Vision Pro for an hour and a half I was down to 55%, which is pretty decent. If you’re sitting down and near an outlet, you can keep the battery charged as you work and play, but it’s not fun feeling like you’re tethered.

Vision Pro M5 Apps and Experiences

You might be wondering if there’s a killer app for the Vision Pro yet. I don’t think so, though there’s plenty of options to choose from now in the App Store.

The most compelling apps are still from Apple, starting with Photos. With the new Spatial Scenes option, you can turn any 2D photo into a 3D one. I felt like I was back in the city of Bath in the UK while I viewed the Pulteney Bridge with some geraniums in the foreground. It was also very cool to see my lab mix puppy as if she was right in front of me.

The Apple TV app has a lot more Immersive videos now, and I was blown away by ‘Elevated: Hawaii.’ It felt like I was flying above a volcano spewing lava and smoke. And the Yankee Stadium video took me to the Bronx and into the stands from multiple angles for a game versus the Dodgers.

Watching 3D movies on the Vision Pro M5 is also compelling. I used the theater environment to watch ‘Superman,’ and it was even more exhilarating seeing the Man of Steel try to fight off Ultraman and The Engineer, complete with Spatial Audio than it was at my local multiplex.

There’s some pretty fun games to play, including Thrasher. It was pretty amusing using my fingers to control a dragon and lead it through rings. And I got a good workout playing Beat Punch, in which you punch colored squares to the beat and dodge obstacles.

However, Ping Pong Club was a letdown. Using my hand as a paddle felt less than satisfying, especially since I missed a lot of balls I would usually hit in real life. You can upgrade to Sony’s PSVR 2 controllers, but they cost a whopping $249.

Unfortunately, the Vision Pro is still missing a lot of big-name third-party apps. There’s no official Netflix or YouTube app (you have to go through Safari). And you don’t get any Google app for that matter (Gmail, Google Maps) or Meta apps like Instagram.

Vision Pro M5 Personas: Better but still creepy

Apple touts that Personas through the Vision Pro now offer more detail and an overall more realistic depiction of you, which can be used in FaceTime calls. But I wasn't that impressed with the results.

I had a FaceTime call with my daughter and she said my Persona looked “older and uglier” than the real me. And I concur. And you can’t do much to tweak your Persona after the fact, although you can change the skin tone and Portrait effect, as well as add eyewear.

At least the Personas look less ghostly, now, as the Vision Pro does a better job of showing your profile when you turn your head.

Mac Virtual Display: Still magical (and improved)

One of the most underrated features of the Vision Pro is the Mac Virtual. You just look at your open MacBook, click on the virtual Connect button floating above the screen and — boom — you get a huge 5K monitor right in front of you. And you can choose from wide and ultra-wide options to fit more apps on the virtual display.

Plus, with the 120Hz refresh rate and 10% extra pixels, the experience feels much more natural than before. I sometimes experienced a bit of lag when typing, but overall Mac Virtual Display is very well executed and something the Galaxy XR can’t emulate.

Widgets: A sneak peak of Apple Glasses?

One of the most fascinating features of visionOS 26 is the addition of widgets. You can place them anywhere in the room and they’ll remain persistent.

Even better: when you snap the widget to a surface it feels like it’s part of the wall. For example, with the Photos widget I could walk up to it and see my favorite panorama pics and look to the left and right as if I were peering out a window. However, it took a bit longer than I’d like for the photo to load.

It’s also nifty to be able to place the Apple Music on the wall and have it look like a concert poster. In my case I chose Coldplay. There’s third-party widgets available, too, such as Fantastical Calendar and Slack.

I know AR Apple Glasses are probably still years away, but I could see this being a big part of that experience.

What’s missing from the Vision Pro M5: Where’s the powerful AI?

While Gemini Live is a key part of the Galaxy XR headset and Android XR, Apple is playing from behind with Apple Intelligence through the Vision Pro.

Yes, the Vision Pro supports Apple Intelligence through features like Image Playground and Writing Tools, but it’s a huge miss that Visual Intelligence isn’t yet supported. That means you can’t simply look up info on whatever you happen to be looking at.

With the Galaxy XR, Gemini Live can analyze what you’re seeing, answer questions and generally be your copilot on mixed reality. For example, in Google Maps you can ask Gemini to take you to a specific location or ask about nearby restaurants.

Apple has some catching up to do, and the new and improved Siri isn’t expected until 2026.

Vision Pro M5 review: Verdict

When I reviewed the original Vision Pro, I called it a “revolution in progress.” Well, now I feel like that revolution has stalled. Yes, the Vision Pro M5 offers a faster chip and a comfier strap, but I expected much more hardware and software innovation from Apple for what’s supposed to be a category-defining product.

I would have liked to see Apple attempt a lighter design and/or a lower price. There are rumors that Apple was working on a lighter, cheaper and less powerful spatial computing headset, but its fate seems up in the air given that the industry seems to be marching towards smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Ban Display.

As the competition ramps up from Samsung’s Galaxy XR with Gemini Live inside, the lack of a new and improved Siri and especially Visual Intelligence are pretty glaring omissions from the new Vision Pro. There are things I really like about the Vision Pro M5, but right now a refresh simply doesn’t cut it.

Whether you're a fan of super-slim phones or not, Apple's all-new iPhone Air is an impressive feat. Will it follow through on its long battery life promise? Time will tell, but it's already not looking good for the best AR glasses.

Despite the growing adoption of both the Xreal One Pro and Viture Luma Pro, the iPhone Air does not support AR glasses. While it comes with the A19 Pro chip, an impressive 48MP camera and a bright 6.5-inch display with ProMotion (with 120Hz), it's missing a key feature in its USB-C port.

That's a major red flag for anyone who owns or is considering picking up a pair of AR glasses, and hugely disappointing if the iPhone Air piques their interest. It's the Nintendo Switch 2 problem all over again, showcasing yet another device that's confirmed not to support AR glasses.

At the very least, the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models don't have this problem, but for a phone that costs $999, you'd think the iPhone Air would come with the right kind of USB-C port for modern devices.

No support for AR glasses

First pointed out by an eagle-eyed user on Xreal's Reddit, the iPhone Air uses a USB 2 port that doesn't support DisplayPort. Without DisplayPort (DP) Alt Mode providing the video signal these AR glasses need, despite this appearing to be the industry standard for many smartphones (except for Nothing), AR glasses from Xreal and Viture are left out in the cold.

As you'll find in the iPhone Air's specs sheet, the USB-C connector specifically leaves out "DisplayPort" on its list of connectivity options that it supports. That's unlike the iPhone 17 lineup's list of specs, or the iPhone 16, for that matter. Interestingly, these phones also sport USB 2, but Apple decided DP support was a no-go for the iPhone Air.

Similarly, the iPhone 16e also doesn't have DP support, now making it a trend of sorts that the latest iPhones may or may not have support for AR glasses.

That's a real shame, as many have turned to AR glasses to deliver a massive, 171-inch virtual screen (like on the Xreal One Pro) for productivity and, especially for smartphones, to watch shows and even play games. That's especially true when travelling, delivering a clear 1200p resolution virtual display (as with the Viture Luma Pro) for those long-haul flights. Or, quite frankly, relaxing on your couch without needing a physical display.

Now, it's a matter of finding a workaround, or if Apple delivers some sort of update with an extra accessory to make it work. This could certainly be the case if it's rumored Apple Glasses turn out to arrive and require a DP connection to work on iPhones.

In the grand scheme of things, it's a niche issue compared to the other setbacks it may face, including battery life worries (being three hours less than the iPhone 17 and 12 hours less than the iPhone 17 Pro Max) and price. But for AR glasses users, it's already a turn-off.

All hope isn't lost

As with the Nintendo Switch 2's DisplayPort problems with AR glasses, our own Anthony Spadafora found a way to play the Switch 2 with AR glasses. That was solved with the Viture Pro Mobile Dock.

After a firmware update, the dock could work with the Switch 2, and all that needed to be done was to plug in the console to one of its USB-C ports, along with Viture's AR glasses, and it was all set up to play on the (virtual) big screen right in the lenses.

Whether that will work with the iPhone Air? Without any type of video output from the phone's USB-C port, it's doubtful. Plus, it's not exactly viable to carry around an extra dock in your pocket if you simply want to use the AR glasses with the latest, super-thin iPhone.

But who knows, another way to get it working may come about once people get their hands on the iPhone Air. Moreover, it isn't as if Apple doesn't support this on its other iPhone 17 models (thankfully).

Hopefully, and especially for AR fans, this will be one of the last times we see the wrong USB-C port without DP support on the latest devices. With AR glasses continuing to rise in popularity, whether it's a smartphone, tablet or laptop, closing off access to them will be a sore point.

More from Tom's Guide

• The iPhone Air is Apple's 'boldest design move since the iPhone X' — and it's a huge step toward an iPhone Fold
• iPhone Air vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: Which thin phone is best?
• I just tested the futuristic Rokid Glasses — bringing AR and AI together to make Meta nervous

I've been reviewing laptops for 15 years running, and if there's one must-have accessory I would recommend everyone consider, it wouldn't be a laptop stand or dock — I'd beg you to consider a pair of the best smart glasses you can afford. Here's why.

There are a lot of things to love about modern laptops, but ergonomics isn't one of them. Even the largest and most versatile notebooks require most of us to tilt our heads down for long periods while using them, and that can cause serious pain and discomfort over time—not to mention contributing to the dreaded "tech neck" phenomenon.

Worse, working like this for sustained periods of time can lead to long-term health issues that may seriously lower your quality of life.

I know because I just turned 40 after working remotely as a journalist for over a decade, so I've spent a significant portion of my life working from a laptop—and I have the kinked neck and back pain to prove it.

Glimpsing a world without "tech neck"

It's my fault, of course. I chose a writer's life and never put much time or effort into figuring out a less painful way of working remotely, despite suffering from back, neck and shoulder pain for years.

Foolish, I know, but I always figured the discomfort of long hours hunched over a laptop was the price I paid for the freedom to work from any media lounge, coffee shop or hotel room I found myself in.

However, I recently had the opportunity to try out a pair of Xreal Air 2 Ultra AR glasses while testing Sightful's new Spacetop AR productivity software, and the glasses have been a game-changer for my pain and productivity. The Spacetop software isn't even required—it's nice to have (not least because it gives you the virtual equivalent of a 100-foot private screen to work on), but just jacking a pair of AR glasses into a laptop can be a huge relief for stiff-necked laptop jockeys.

The reason is that by default, you see a duplicate of your laptop's display in the glasses, so you can stop staring down at your screen and look wherever is most comfortable for you.

When I first started regularly using a pair of AR glasses with the laptops I review, it took some getting used to, because my eyes had to adjust to focusing on the "screen" floating right in front of them instead of whatever's happening in the world around me. It caused me a few literal headaches, but after a week of adjusting, I've found AR glasses have become my #1 laptop accessory when I'm working on the go.

Of course, Xreal AR glasses are fairly pricey as laptop accessories go, so I don't recommend them lightly. However, I think if you use them regularly and safeguard them, they're well worth the expense in terms of how much comfort they can provide.

You also don't have to go with Xreal AR glasses to realize the benefits I'm touting—a cheaper pair like the excellent AyaNeo Air 3s works just as well when it comes to helping combat "tech neck" and painful days spent hunched over a laptop.

If you need to put some money away for a rainy day before splurging on a pair of AR glasses, don't stress—there are cheaper ways of working ergonomically on a laptop.

You could always invest in a cheap laptop stand like this one to boost your laptop's display up to eye level, for example, if you want a cheaper way of working more comfortably on the go.

But if you're serious about boosting your comfort and productivity with laptop accessories, you're going to want a good keyboard and mouse to go with that laptop stand so you can set up an ergonomic workspace—and at that point you could easily be spending upwards of $300 on a bundle of laptop accessories, instead of spending the same amount (or less) on a reliable pair of AR glasses and a sturdy case to carry them in.

With that in mind, I seriously recommend anyone who regularly works on a laptop keep an eye on smart glasses deals this holiday season to see if you can snag a great pair for cheap. The smart glasses revolution is coming, and I predict tech neck will be one of its first conquests.

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• I tried Snapchat's Spectacles AR Glasses and it changed the way I look at smart glasses — here's why

Ever since I sprinted across Las Vegas in 2017 to pick up a pair of Snapchat Spectacles from a vending machine, smart glasses have changed drastically over the last eight years.

From glorified camera glasses and a wearable external monitor, and all the way to an AI-infused pair of specs, we’ve been through it all to make it to this very moment – and the moment we’re in is an interesting one. That’s because we all see what we want our smart glasses to be, but in something significantly bigger: VR headsets.

Currently, these are very different devices, running along two parallel trajectories of development. But after speaking to Snap, Qualcomm and more, it’s clear that the race is on to find the middle ground between these two — to be first to a truly AI-infused augmented spatial future of wearables.

With significant developments tackling the key challenges, this 10-year race could very much see the device that could kill the smartphone and be the next big thing.

Every big company you know is in the running, with Meta’s Project Orion prototype charging into the lead, Android XR and Snap’s new consumer specs catching up, and even Apple is “hell-bent” on making its own glasses.

Let’s take a look at where we are now, why smart glasses are indeed the next big thing, and what it will take to get there.

Smart glasses: Where we are now?

If you take a look at the best smart glasses you can buy right now, you’ve got two categories: AI and AR specs.

AI glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses bring the power of multi-modality to something that is super wearable. And you can see the real benefits they bring — from asking quick questions like your standard smart assistant to detailed prompts understanding the world around you.

In fact, sales of Ray-Ban Meta glasses so far this year have more than tripled compared to the same time last year, which is more than 200% growth. That’s according to EssilorLuxottica, which owns smart glasses brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley.

For me, they really come into their own when I’m travelling. Putting ingredients on a counter and asking for a recipe of what to cook is always a massive help; live translation is a huge move to bridge the gaps of understanding; and asking for more information on historic locations gives you new context like a tour guide.

Then you’ve got AR glasses — essentially a portable external monitor that has been shrunk down into a pair of glasses. With the micro-OLED display tech projecting into prisms in front of the lenses, you can get a 100+ inch display wherever you go.

That is huge for long distance travel. Something like the Xreal One Pro specs really come in clutch for reducing the neck strain of looking down at my laptop or Steam Deck. Those prisms don’t make them great for walking around with, but they are the best realization of a screen in your glasses right now.

And the ever increasing capabilities to simulate an ultra-wide display or use depth-of-field tracking tech (known as 6DoF) to anchor something in place is a signifier of far greater capabilities going forward.

I mean, just take a look at the spatial widgets announced in visionOS 26 — with 6DoF, that is possible with glasses. It’s clear that while Apple Vision Pro opened the door to spatial computing, a whole lot of software from Cupertino’s AR play to SnapOS and even Meta’s OS in the Quest 3 are all previews of what you will get in glasses.

Or if you wanted to go even more “tin foil hat conspiracy” with me, I’d argue that the new Liquid Glass design motif of Apple’s software is subtly training us to get used to smart glasses. That transparency does make things a little harder to read, but users will adapt — just in time for new specs. But the end-goal is far greater than that.

The future: Bringing AI and AR together

The mission for the future is to bring both AR and AI together, as the possibilities are huge.

Removing the smartphone from the equation to ensure someone is present in the moment is the pinnacle to the digital detox movement that is starting to happen — smart glasses that bring both AI and AR to the table are key to this.

“I am somewhat worried my kids think I look like this,” said Scott Myers, VP of hardware engineering at Snap Inc. — holding up a smartphone to his face and talking about how they have become distraction devices.

"Specs are the next generation of computing, and they're a powerful, wearable computer in a lightweight glasses form factor. And because they naturally integrate digital experiences with the physical world and enable me to look up at the world, I'll stop pulling out my phone so much, or maybe I don't need to take my tablet with me on trips anymore."

Imagine that same recipe situation as above, but with an image-based guide supplementing it, too. Or that same moment of discovering historical monuments, but having map pins identify every single one to visit.

The challenges for AI/AR smart glasses

While all these companies have their own ideas of what the dream smart glasses are, all are in agreement that there are fundamental key challenges to be solved here.

Displays need to get better

Right now, you’ve got a pick of two ways to do this: a glass prism that an OLED picture is projected into (commonly called “bird baths” and seen in the Viture Luma Pros), or a particular section of the glasses lens being etched to refract light from the arm (named “waveguide”).

Bird baths have the better, wider picture quality, but glasses have to be slightly bigger to house them — looking like the spy glasses you get at the Scholastic book fair. Meanwhile, the waveguide is certainly a lot more subtle, but being the size of a miniature postage stamp on one lens does lead to the display being way smaller and worse in quality.

But companies like Lumus are quietly working on this in the background, and working with a lot of big names in the industry. The secret sauce is reflective Waveguides.

“With the geometric waveguide lenses we’re making, you can get a far wider field of view while not compromising on the picture quality or brightness needed to see it in daylight, " said David Golman, VP of marketing and communications at Lumus. “Not only that, but with the liquid crystal display potential, you can actually improve a person’s vision too.”

The challenge is to get the best of both worlds here — ditching the bird baths to provide full clarity of the world around you like a regular pair of glasses, while still offering that same level of screen quality for both full immersion and augmenting your surroundings.

Break the reliance on other devices

This comes down to one thing: getting a chip powerful enough to stuff entirely on the glasses without any need to connect to another device.

At the moment, we’re either limited to AR glasses having a chip that tricks your laptop into thinking you have a 32:9 ultrawide monitor on your face (typing this on my ultrawide Xreal Ones right now on a plane), or a fast but limited chip to keep latency sort of low between making an AI request through your specs and the phone doing the heavy lifting (looking at you, Ray-Ban Metas).

Looking forward to the mid-term future, the answer seems to be a puck, like what you see in Meta’s Project Orion – a dedicated device to fuel the experience. Other companies agree. You see this in Xreal’s Project Aura and Qualcomm believes this concept is on a spectrum.

“Some operators would love a glass that is connected directly to 5G, and we will work on that. Others want sports glasses for going on a run, and others will just want a general assistant,” said Said Bakadir, VP Product Management at Qualcomm. “I think we’re gonna see that spectrum evolving from something that is minimum possible in the glass to getting rid of other devices.”

However, if smart glasses are truly going to take off, there can’t be any pucks or separate devices. We need it all to work entirely on the glasses for this to be the same truly disruptive iPhone-esque moment for consumer tech.

Developers, developers, developers!

Speaking of the iPhone, you may not know this given how much of a global icon it is now, but the real breakthrough for Apple’s mini slab didn’t really arrive until the app store one year later.

Opening up a platform for developers to create their own experiences for people to use creates an evergrowing list of reasons to buy your device, and AR glasses need that moment.

So far, there hasn’t really been a shared app marketplace for people to download onto AR glasses like the app store. But two things may flip this entirely on its head: Android XR bringing the Google Play Store to specs, and Snap’s new consumer glasses channeling the word of devs creating hundreds of thousands of lenses over the past few years.

“We're really here to build this with the community because it’s an entirely new paradigm,” said Snap’s Myers. “There's a lot of things that will take time for people to understand and figure out. It's not just going to be, “oh, here you go, developers — come build for this!” That's not going to work in my opinion. It's a community-led discussion and I couldn't be happier with that.”

The constant stream of new apps to the smart glasses of the future needs to become as synonymous as the app store is to the iPhone.

All-day stamina guaranteed

Batteries are not ready for prime time in smart glasses — the longevity of lithium ion cells are always heavily compromised by the limited capacity balanced by ensuring the glasses are not too heavy on someone’s face.

The end result is making sure you’re careful with the number of interactions you make with your Ray-Ban Meta shades at the moment. Fortunately, Meta is on the right track of improving this with the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses effectively doubling the longevity. That being said, there’s still a way to go.

What’s the answer? Nobody is quite sure yet, but it seems to start with the direction smartphones are heading in: silicon carbon. This next generation battery tech is able to pack more power within the same space, meaning this could be a starting point to move forward.

The other thing the industry has learned, just like Meta did with the Ray-Bans, is how battery life is all about calculating and optimizing the software usage to every microwatt.

"I worked on smartphones for a very long time, said Myers. “While the battery capacity has grown pretty consistently, it's really the way people are using the software that has gotten much better. We see the same trajectory for Snap OS.”

AI is the key to it all

If Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses prove one thing, it’s that when it comes to AI devices, glasses are the best realization of that vision — better than Rabbit R1, better than the Humane AI Pin.

But even more than that, we’ve seen multi-modal AI unlock some truly useful features in a pair of smart glasses. Because at the end of the day, you want your glasses to do more than tell you you’re looking at a tree.

“XR, for me, is the best interface to interacting with the digital world. What happened in the digital world is being transformed with AI. So it just happens that this AI requires multi-modality.” said Qualcomm’s Bakadir

Whether I’m exploring the world and want extra facts about a landmark, or I’m stuck on things to eat and want some assistance on what to make from the things in my fridge, having AI directly on your face is the most natural form factor.

“AI will be the core intelligence layer. It will understand context, proactively assist, personalize the interface in real time. Wearables will evolve from tools into true companions — adaptive, discreet, and intuitive.” said David Jiang, CEO of Viture.

We’ve made small steps towards that with Snapdragon AR1+ Gen 1 — allowing you to run a 1-billion parameter AI model entirely locally. That is significant for the future of smart glasses, but it’s only one step forward.

Now the next step is moving into agentic AI and personalization — using data to train your own device around you for more proactive, more agentic assistance that can help before you even think you were going to look for help.

Sensing you and the world

Remember when the Apple Watch came out? The real reason for it existing didn’t come until a few years in. When those sensors came into their own, it became the go-to health tracker that it is now.

I feel that the moment is coming for smart glasses. The use cases are currently limited, but the moment we start sticking sensors on them, not only would you be able to track physical health, you could even track emotional health, too.

“We believe that understanding emotions is a force multiplier for AI, in terms of it being effective for you in the context of wearing glasses all day. If you want AI to be really effective for you, it’s critical that it understands how you’re feeling in real-time." said Streen Strand, Emteq CEO.

And why wouldn’t you? In a February survey by Sentio University, 96% of AI users reach out for some therapeutic advice.

Sensor tech is looking like a key focal point of the future of smart glasses — fueling not just eye-tracking and hand gestures, but pairing with AI for more personalization.

But are we actually ready for them?

We’ve done this dance before. Remember Google Glass? There’s a reason why the phrase “glassholes” exists, and it’s because of the social stigma that came with wearing this advanced piece of tech directly on your face.

Every new tech category goes through a settling-in process around the way they disrupt common social cues, as they move from seeming traditionally impolite to just being the way things are. But with display tech in smart glasses, I feel that hump of social acceptance is going to take a bit more time to get used to.

A great example is the Halliday glasses, which beams a 3.5-inch projected display into your eye from the top rim of the specs. All you have to do is look up at it, which on paper is seriously impressive. However, during my time talking to people wearing them at CES 2025, the amount of perceived eyerolls I got as they looked up to the screen did certainly make me feel like an inconvenience!

And then more broadly with the display tech of tomorrow, you’ll never really know whether someone is actually looking at you.

At least with current bird bath panels making for slightly larger specs, you’re giving off a big enough “do not disturb” signal. But when they disappear and the transition to waveguide happens, it will take time for society to acclimatize.

“We all lose our time to these black rectangles called smartphones, so I see waveguides on smart glasses as a great thing to just glance at when notifications roll in without taking my phone out. But my wife is always on edge about whether I am actually paying attention to her.” said Lumus’ Goldman.

Then, of course, there’s the privacy concerns of wearing an always-on device on your face. How do you give permission to be seen by these glasses? What does that look like?

We saw these become big issues with Google Glass in the early 2010s, and with a personalized AI assistant that needs to be always running to understand you, the worries will be significant and warranted.

“It’s not like smartphones in that it’s passive AI. There needs to be an AI actively listening to you that memorizes your routines, your conversations, everything about your day to deliver that efficient lifestyle.” said Carter Hou, CEO and Co-founder of Halliday.

I know there are significant technical challenges on the road between where we are now and 2035, but more than anything, the cultural one is going to be the bigger mountain to climb.

We’ve already gotten over the “wearing glasses even though you don’t need to” one (look at hipsters wearing spectacles with no lenses for example) — and surely it’ll be a matter of time before the technological aspect just becomes a social norm, rather than people asking “is that a camera in your glasses?”

Closer than you think

There is a grand vision for 2035, but the future of smart glasses is a lot closer than you think. I initially thought that the race to XR is only just beginning to heat up, but in reality, it’s already at fever pitch.

With rumored next-gen Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, the impending launch of Snap Specs in 2026, and let’s not forget Apple being “hell-bent on creating an industry-leading product before Meta can,” we’re on the precipice of seeing the next step forward in this space.

But what makes this category so fascinating to me is that no one company has all the answers. Every dreamer in this area has one piece of the puzzle, and I do believe that in ten years time, these will all come together to become that next category-defining product — that smartphone moment for wearable technology.

So buckle up, because it’s going to be a helluva ride over the next decade.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, may be working on a new pair of mixed reality glasses. According to a new report from The Information, this set of goggles looks set to take on the likes of Meta’s Project Orion to provide a full XR computing experience.

There’s no details on a release date as of yet for the goggles, codenamed “Swan,” but given this is a make or break year for Meta, this report could cause a stir for Zuckerberg & Co. Here's what we know.

Lightweight goggles (with a puck)

Details are thin on the ground, but we do know a few things. First of all, these mixed reality goggles are being built by Pico — the VR startup that is owned by ByteDance.

This is the company who worked on the Pico 4 VR headset, which I reviewed for Laptop Mag, and in short, the hardware was good but it was a barren landscape of lacking software support.

But it seems like after the canceled launch of Pico 5 in late 2023, the TikTok owner is taking a different approach here, by shrinking the tech down into a pair of goggles. Specifically, the claim is these will weigh around 0.28 pounds — similar to the Bigscreen Beyond VR headset.

In terms of what will power it, Pico is working on “specialized chips for the device that will process data from its sensors to minimize the lag or latency between what a user sees in AR and their physical movements.”

All of this looks set to be offset from adding weight to the headset by using a puck connected to the device, a la Meta’s Project Orion. For the puck itself, we’ve heard conflicting reports on whether it will be wireless or wired, so we can’t say for sure.

But this does steer in a similar direction to what we’re seeing from Meta’s new mixed-reality device, as we’re seeing reports that the Meta Quest 4 has been postponed to 2027 in favor of an ultralight headset with a puck.

ByteDance glasses outlook

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• I saw the future of AR glasses with a 70-degree field of view — but it’s going to take time to get there
• I got the inside scoop on Snap Specs from the hardware VP — here's what you need to know about the new smart glasses

Once I ditched the monitors and popped on the Viture Luma Pro, I was whisked away. I can’t lie, the display tech in here is mesmerizing.

You already know the score when it comes to picking the best AR glasses — it comes down to wearability, picture quality and versatility of connection, and these specs nail it.

At $499, the Viture Luma Pro went for the throne and stuck the landing against the Xreal One glasses. Some of the reasons sound like marketing talk. A display with “4K-like clarity?” Come on now.

But if you look past this weird phrasing, there's a lot of tweaking that has gone into presenting some impressively razor sharp details — even at the far edges without any fringing whatsoever (more on this later).

Would I call them next-gen enough to say you should upgrade from the Viture Pros? No. You’ve already got a damn good pair there, and the Luma Pro glasses are more evolution rather than revolution in that respect.

Plus, Xreal does still have the jump with the X1 chip built directly into its glasses, giving you greater control over the screen to the point it can simulate an ultrawide directly on the specs themselves. Viture says this is coming with software, along with 6DoF support “after launch.” So once these features are present, I’ll update this review.

But if you’re looking for the most comfortable pair of AR glasses with the best picture quality, Luma Pro is the way to go right now. Let me explain why.

Viture Luma Pro: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? These are a pair of AR glasses. Viture refers to them as XR glasses — a capability largely enabled through software. But fundamentally, they remain AR specs at heart.
• Who is it for? Perfect for people who travel a lot, but also for those who want a big screen experience wherever they are.
• How much does it cost? Rather than the complex pricing structure of Viture Pro, the Luma Pro comes in smack bang at the right price of $499 — taking on Xreal One head on.
• What do I like them? That 1200p display with the next-gen micro OLED display and upgraded optics delivers a simply stunning picture. And all of this is packed into a pair of specs that are seriously comfortable to wear with plenty of flair.
• What don't I like about them? Simply put, not everything is available yet. Some of the features will arrive “after launch,” and while the sound quality is better on paper, it’s still too quiet for anywhere outside of a library.

Viture Luma Pro: Specs

Viture Luma Pro: The ups

So yes, I have taken the Viture Luma Pro traveling, and I can assure you they’re amazing for that. But I wanted to put things on hard mode, so I took down my monitors and switched to these.

The display is *chefs kiss*

To appreciate what’s going on here, I need to get a bit geeky and tell you all about the technology behind the intangibles of the Viture Luma Pro.

You see, it starts with Sony’s micro-OLED technology — it’s a little more power efficient so you’ll get more battery life out of the phone, laptop or tablet you plug these into. But while this resolution stands at 1200p, it looks a whole lot sharper than that.

And that comes down to tweaks the team has made in improving high-frequency detail, using telescope-inspired optics to make the edges look sharp, reducing distortion, and even applying camera-grade anti-reflective materials to eliminate glare.

The end result is 152 inches of crispy picture, alongside that vivid color science Viture is known for to make your games, your work, or your Netflix shows look spectacular.

One note though, while Myopia adjustment is still here (and warmly welcomed), the amount you can change it has been reduced by two points.

Speaking to Viture, the company confirms this is because diopter adjustments can interfere with the picture quality in your peripheral vision of the 52-degree field of view — given this is now a 16:10 ratio screen.

Versatile and sleek design

That faux-Wayfarer design is getting more and more subtle by the generation. Don’t get me wrong, the differences are small since we’re still talking about big birdbaths sitting behind the lenses. But the slight refinements in the size and shape puts them as another small step on the continual path to zero double takes when wearing them.

Then when we talk about versatility, the Luma Pros have it baked in nicely with magnetically attached nose pads (FYI: they need to sit higher on your face than you’d expect your average AR glasses to sit for the full picture), and arms that can snap into different angles for just the right wearability.

And the soft touch plastic sits over the ears to make these impressively comfortable over many hours of wearing — even on long haul flights or during an entire day at work. Oh, and shoutout to the subtle lighting effects along the glasses. Normally, I find RGB pretty cringe, but these refined details give them an edge that I’m pretty into.

Viture Luma Pro: The downs

As I got into my second week of testing the Viture Luma Pro, I realized that there are a couple problems. One that is (unfortunately) unavoidable in AR glasses, and another that’s just a waiting game.

Audio is lacking

You can do all the Harman tuning you want to tiny stereo speakers in the stalks of a pair of glasses. At the end of the day, they’re still tiny speakers, and they do all the tiny speaker things you expect tiny speakers to do… Did I say tiny speakers enough? I think so.

Hats off to the private listening tuning Viture has done, as there is very minimal audio bleed if you do use them out and about. But a pair of headphones is absolutely necessary for using these — sound at max volume is drowned out by background noise easily, and the tinniness is pretty grim when you’re somewhere quiet.

Not quite finished yet

Let’s be real — while there are many companies selling AR glasses, the main competition at the moment comes down to Xreal vs Viture. But on top of that, there’s a wider competition happening, which I’ll call hardware vs software.

You see, Xreal is doing a lot of its display trickery on-device with silicon. Thanks to the X1 chip, you can simulate a 32:9 ultrawide display, change screen size and edit settings directly on the specs.

Viture’s doing pretty much all of it through software, and while it takes more time to setup the Spacewalker app or Immersive 3D app on your devices to get exactly what you want, you get more options for it.

Be it a vertical triple display array or the surprisingly impressive trick to intelligently turn 2D content into 3D, it all works really well! But the issue at the moment is that not everything is available just yet.

For example, there’s a built-in camera that can be used for both snapping and 6 DoF tracking for holding windows in place in front of you. These will be enabled after launch, so at the moment, I’m having a very similar experience to the Viture Pro, but with a far prettier picture.

Yes, I’ll return to this when the updates activate the 6 DoF capabilities of that camera. But at this point in time, Xreal has the more fully-featured specs. But I’ll come back to this post-launch when everything is here.

Viture Luma Pro: Verdict

So let’s get the obvious out the way. Are the Viture Luma Pro specs the best AR glasses you can buy? One of them, yes. The picture quality is immense, and the software capabilities do make them more versatile in a spatial computing world.

But in a straight fight, it's honestly a toss up between these and the Xreal Ones. We are still waiting on some of the promised software features in an update, and being honest, doing the display processing on the device does benefit the Xreal Ones too.

However, there’s something special here in that display clarity and color that makes the Luma Pro oh-so impressive whatever the device you plug them into. Honestly, whichever way you go, you're getting greatness here at a competitive price.

So if you're a display snob, Viture's got you covered.

So as you’ve seen, Viture has announced 4 new pairs of AR glasses — the Luma Pro is available today (July 8), while the Luma, Luma Ultra and the Beast are coming later this year.

But the company’s not just stopping there, as we got to take a look at what the next frontier is in AR spec display tech after this: a 70-degree field of view. And in one glimpse, I saw the future. Let me explain why.

Putting VR headsets on blast

So we all know the end goal of AR glasses — to pack all the computation of a VR headset into something the size of specs. One key thing to tackle is the limited field of view, and while 70 degrees is not quite the 110 degrees you see on the Meta Quest 3S, the amount happening in your peripheral with Luma's technology is crazy.

Of course this was just a demo picture shown on Viture’s prototype, but the wideness starts to show just what benefits this technology could bring. And to tie in another brand here, you have to think about what Xreal could do with its Android XR specs that the company confirmed will come with this same FOV.

You could have a much less intrusive AR UI overlaid on your day-to-day — directions from maps added to the corner like a Grand Theft Auto radar, with requested info also peppered in. But of course, the real winner here is just how big of a display you could fully see in front of you.

You see, it’s great to have the likes of a simulated gigantic screen in front of you, but a 50-degree-ish field of view does take you out of the immersion of it. Leapfrogging to 70 degrees will eliminate a lot of that.

Still a ways off

Viture says a 70-degree FOV model could launch “as early as next year.” So far, we’ve just seen this giant prototype, so we know the challenges here:

• Reduce the size: So far, these birdbath prisms are gigantic. We need to reduce them.
• Consistency: It can’t just be a big screen without any focus on keeping optical consistency and display quality across the entire field

The resolution also has to match this, and 1440p micro OLED displays are “already finalized” by Viture and ready for 2026. As for true 4K? That will be further ways down the road according to the company.

Xreal is also planning a 2026 launch for Project Aura that is confirmed to have the same field of view. As the two front runners, Viture and Xreal are always set to run in lockstep, so it will be fascinating to see how 70-degrees are done by both companies!

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• I got the inside scoop on Snap Specs from the hardware VP — here's what you need to know about the new smart glasses
• I was wrong — Oakley's Meta smart glasses actually look better than the Ray-Bans, and they bring massive upgrades

The news is out. Viture’s not only launching one pair of AR glasses, the company’s dropping four. There’s the entry-level Luma, the Luma Pro (launching today), the business-focused Luma Ultra and what we’re talking about here — the Viture Beast.

Yes, these are the ones I teased a few weeks back, and which I gave best of show to at AWE 2025. But now I can talk properly about my experience, share some more pictures of what I saw, and address one key spec change you may have noticed here compared to what I found in California.

Now, with these launching in October for $549, one question is obvious: should you wait for these or just grab the Xreal one Pro and be done with it? Let's talk about it.

A giant step forward

So let’s get the obvious out the way — this is the best screen I’ve seen on a pair of AR glasses you’ll be able to buy. That 1200p picture with Viture tuning to a consistent sharpness across the whole display makes for impressive clarity with mesmerizing color.

But I know what people are immediately thinking here: I said 60-degrees field of view a few weeks ago, so why is it now 58? Viture made this choice to ensure sharpness across the screen, even though the optical system can support 60.

Will you notice the difference? In my experience, I doubt it. The differentials have to be 5 degrees or more to really notice the wideness change. But this explains what’s going on here, as it’s a lower number than I saw in person.

And then, à la Xreal One Pro, you’re getting built-in screen customization with 3DoF tracking (6DoF tracking via the front camera coming further down the line). The options available are far more vast, too — not just horizontal ultrawide, but also vertical, alongside multiple screen sizes and something called “ambient mode.” Not 100% sure what this is, but excited to find out.

Also, a shoutout to using a USB-C port on the glasses themselves. Viture’s use of a magnetic port is sleek and all, but proprietary sockets always bug me a little bit. So to get a traditional port means you’re not locked to buying specific cables if you need a replacement.

One drawback

That’s not to say there are a couple hitches to point out here. Viture’s trademark benefit has been the hardware myopia adjustment dials, but with the Viture beast, these are non-existent.

Asking Viture, we found out something interesting — having hardware-level 3DoF tracking is directly at odds with having myopia adjustment, as the mechanisms can mess up tracking accuracy and optical stability.

So with the Beast, the company prioritized spatial breadth of the picture. If myopia tweaking is critical, then Luma is the way to go right now.

Outlook

And that’s the tale of the tape. A big screen experience at a price that is $100 less than the Xreal One Pros with the Viture Beast at $549. It’s exciting to see these two companies continue to push one another forward in innovation, as at the end of the day, we win when this happens.

I’m definitely intrigued to test these properly on some long-haul trips and around my home — to see just how that wider field of view truly comes into play for the cinema experience on a plane, or the ultrawide monitor for productivity.

If you do need myopia adjustment, you’re out of luck here. But if you’re looking for the best of the best in picture quality, then I’d say hold off for just a little longer.

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• I let smart glasses read my emotions and watch what I eat — and now I can’t unsee the future
• I got the inside scoop on Snap Specs from the hardware VP — here's what you need to know about the new smart glasses
• I was wrong — Oakley's Meta smart glasses actually look better than the Ray-Bans, and they bring massive upgrades

The Nintendo Switch 2 builds on the strong foundation established by its predecessor and if you’ve played the original Switch, you’ll be immediately at home with the hardware and controls of Nintendo’s upgraded hybrid console.

From the Joy-Cons to the kickstand to the home screen, the Switch 2 feels more like a refined version of what worked the first time around without any new gimmicks to sidetrack things.

Sure, the screen is now 7.9-inches instead of 6.2-inches and the console itself is larger too. However, besides the switch to faster microSD Express cards (no pun intended) and what many believe is a downgrade from OLED back to LCD, the biggest change Nintendo made to the Switch 2 was equipping it with not one but two USB-C ports.

Back when I first went hands-on with the Switch 2, that extra USB-C port was the upgrade that excited me the most and for good reason. With a second USB-C port just like on the Asus ROG Ally X or the Lenovo Legion Go, I initially thought Nintendo’s new console would pair perfectly with the best smart glasses. As it turns out, that wasn’t the case at all, or at least I thought so at first.

While you can’t plug a pair of Xreal One or Viture Pro AR glasses directly into either of the Switch 2’s USB-C ports, with a bit of trickery and a timely firmware upgrade, I managed to play Mario Kart World and my new favorite Mario game in AR.

Although the experience wasn’t as plug and play as I had hoped Nintendo would’ve made it, playing the Switch 2 on a 135-inch screen half an inch away from my face, without the official dock no less, was awesome to say the least.

Here’s how I did it, the devices I used and why the inevitable Switch 2 OLED or even the Switch 2 Pro better support AR glasses right out of the box.

An unexpected solution

After I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses, Viture reached out to me about testing its new mobile game controller made in collaboration with 8BitDo.

This wasn’t just any controller that attaches to one of the best phones though. Instead, it has an extra port equipped with DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C functionality on the bottom you can plug a pair of AR glasses into. That way, you can play games on a massive screen right from your phone.

In the box with the controller and a pair of its AR glasses though, Viture also included a few extras including its Viture Pro Mobile Dock. If, like me, you think it bears a striking resemblance to one of the best power banks, you’d be right as it does have a built-in 13,000 mAh battery that can charge your devices. That’s not its main purpose though.

When you flip the Viture Pro Mobile Dock over, you’re greeted with several ports including three USB-C ones and an HDMI port.

While the two USB-C ports on the right allow you to plug in two pairs of Viture’s AR glasses, the one in the middle plugs into your source device which can be a phone, a tablet, a laptop or in this case, a game console.

Meanwhile, the HDMI port on the left is for connecting one of the best streaming devices such as a Roku or an Amazon Fire Stick or even a game console without a USB-C port, like the PS5 or the Xbox Series X.

With support for two pairs of AR glasses simultaneously, you can do things like watch a movie with a friend from the same device. Likewise, you can also play local multiplayer games in the same way that you would in front of a TV in your living room, but both people have their own screen. I still need to try this out myself but I could really see it coming in handy on a long flight or even on the couch during those times when your TV is otherwise occupied.

When the Switch 2 launched, the Viture Pro Mobile Dock wasn’t compatible with the new console. You could connect the Switch 2 via HDMI using Nintendo’s official dock but not directly over USB-C.

Following a recent firmware update though, Viture’s Pro Mobile Dock now works with the Switch 2 in the same way that it does with the original Switch. You just plug the console into the USB-C port with the blue and red ring around it and a pair of Viture’s AR glasses into one of the other USB-C ports on the right side and you’re good to go.

I have to admit, I had my doubts at first too. Would I still need to connect my Switch 2 to an AC outlet? Would doing so damage my brand new handheld? Well, I’m happy to report that the answer is no on both fronts. Updating the Viture Pro Mobile Dock was easy enough via my browser and once the new firmware was installed, I now had a plug and play way to use the Switch 2 with AR glasses.

Since Viture’s Pro Mobile Dock is designed to work seamlessly with all of its AR glasses, I used the Viture Pro XR glasses with it to test out the dock’s new Switch 2 compatibility. However, the dock also works with smart glasses from other manufacturers too, including ones from Xreal and RayNeo.

My favorite thing about the Viture Pro XR glasses is that they use a magnetic connector instead of a standard USB-C port. Not only does this make taking them out and getting everything set up faster but it also prevents the glasses from being ripped off your face if their cord gets snagged.

With the Viture Pro Mobile Dock updated to the latest firmware (version 1.03.0.02_20250613) and my Switch 2 in hand, it was time to try to play some Nintendo games in a brand new way.

Just as portable but with a bigger screen

As I was heading out on a family trip to the beach, I decided to bring Viture’s Pro Mobile Dock and its Pro XR glasses with me along with my Switch 2.

Normally, I prefer playing on the big screen in docked mode when possible instead of in handheld mode. However, since there isn’t a Switch 2 version of my favorite third-party dock—the Genki Covert Mini—yet, I figured this setup would let me play on the big screen without having to bring Nintendo’s larger dock with me. At the same time, I wouldn’t have to mess with the TV in the place we rented for the weekend.

After getting everything plugged in, much to my surprise, the Switch 2’s home screen suddenly appeared on the Viture Pro XR glasses.

Since the console’s launch, AR enthusiasts like myself have been trying to get it to work with smart glasses to no avail. With its latest firmware update for the Pro Mobile Dock though, Viture managed to pull off what myself and my colleague Jason England thought was impossible only a few weeks ago.

As I had Mario Kart World open as I’m trying to unlock all the characters and the game’s Special Cup, I decided to try things out with a few races. Even though I was sitting on the back porch with a pair of AR glasses on my face, it really felt like I was back at home in front of my TV.

For those unfamiliar with AR glasses, one of their coolest features is that you can have a black background thanks to their electrochromatic dimming or a clear one if you turn this off.

I chose the latter and as I was racing through courses in Mario Kart World, I was still able to take in the scenery with the Viture Pro XR glasses on. This also comes in handy if you want to play games or work in a room with other people without being completely cut off from the world around you. Think passthrough mode on one of the best VR headsets but with it enabled while you’re playing a game.

Since the full-featured USB-C to USB-C cable Viture includes in the box with its Pro Mobile Dock is definitely on the short side, I put my Switch 2 down on the table next to me and played with its Joy-Cons in their controller grip.

You can use any of the best Nintendo Switch controllers with this setup if you want but as I haven’t had a chance to try out Nintendo’s new Joy-Con 2 Grip as I’ve mainly been playing with the Switch 2 Pro Controller, I figured now was the perfect time to test it out.

Although you do need to carry a bit more gear than you would if you were playing the Switch 2 in handheld mode, as you can see here, it doesn’t take up that much space at all.

The Viture Pro Mobile Dock is just over 6.5 inches long, about 3.5 wide and less than an inch thick, which makes it even easier to slip into a bag than the Switch 2. Honestly, the Joy-Con 2 Grip was more awkward to bring with me and for a more portable setup, I’d probably use a detached Joy-Con in each hand.

After a few races in Mario Kart World, I decided to boot up an original Switch game that I still haven’t finished on a whim. Although I beat Super Mario 3D World back on my Wii U, I had just scratched the surface on the standalone expansion Nintendo included with it when the company brought the game to the Switch.

If you’re a Mario fan that hasn’t played Bowser’s Fury yet, you owe it to yourself to give this cat-themed open world take on 3D Mario a try.

I won’t go into all the details but what I really enjoy about the expansion is that besides being the first truly open world Mario game, it has a unique mechanic that really shakes up the tried-and-true formula Nintendo’s been using since Super Mario 64.

Around every six minutes, the sky turns dark and Fury Bowser appears. Unlike in past games, Bowser is absolutely massive in this form and it really feels as if you’re running away from a Kaiju like Godzilla instead of from a normal boss.

In AR, the whole experience of dealing with Fury Bowser felt even more intense, especially when I turned electrochromatic dimming on and couldn’t see anything outside of what was on the screens of the Viture Pro XR glasses.

Playing this way instead of in handheld mode or in traditional docked mode was also more comfortable too as I didn’t have to strain my neck while looking down or take up the entire TV.

In fact, before I knew it, I had collected several Cat Shines, which serve as stand-ins for the stars Mario usually gets when completing levels or challenges, and I was even closer than I had been to stopping Fury Bowser for good.

Once fully charged, the Viture Pro Mobile Dock is able to power the Switch 2 just like if you had placed it in Nintendo’s official dock. With the original Switch, you can play for up to eight hours on a single charge. However, on Switch 2, which uses more power while docked, you’ll likely get about half this time.

On the top of the Pro Mobile Dock, there are four orange indicator lights, which let you know how much battery power you have left. They stay lit but become dimmed one by one once you start depleting the dock’s internal battery. This is a nice visual touch that means you don’t have to look at yet another battery percentage meter. Plus, the lights are easy to see with AR glasses on.

Big screen gaming without the TV

So why would you want to play video games or watch movies in AR glasses to begin with?

Well, doing so gives you much more screen space than you’d get with your average TV. The Viture Pro XR glasses I’m wearing here can project a 135-inch image right in front of your eyes. At the same time, they also have a refresh rate of 120Hz which the Switch 2 can take advantage of at the glasses’ native 1080p resolution.

The other big benefit to using AR glasses this way is that instead of craning your neck down to look at your Switch 2 in handheld mode, you can sit upright or lean back with good posture. You can also lie down and play this way without being worried that you might accidentally drop your Switch 2 on your face.

The Viture Pro Mobile Dock works seamlessly with the company’s AR glasses. However, as I also have a pair of Xreal One glasses on hand, I decided to try it with them when I got home.

They worked and I could see the Switch 2’s home screen as soon as I plugged them into the dock. There was just one problem though: everything was red. I could read text and see the games installed on my Switch 2 but instead of the black background you get with dark mode enabled, I saw a red one instead. Granted, I haven’t updated my Xreal One glasses yet, so doing that could potentially fix this problem.

After playing my Switch 2 in AR over the course of several days during my vacation, it was time to head home. While it was fantastic having a big screen experience with the Switch 2 using this setup when I was away from home, it’s just as convenient when you’re not traveling.

Getting everything set up only takes a few minutes or so and then, you can play Mario Kart World and other Switch 2 games on a massive screen with the added benefit that what you’re playing is completely private. Nobody can look over your shoulder or walk into the living room and see what game you’re currently playing on your TV.

I definitely need (and want) to play my Switch 2 in AR a bit more but for now, I really enjoyed the experience of using Viture’s Pro Mobile Dock with its glasses. I would have been over the moon if Nintendo had included video out over USB-C without a dock on the Switch 2 but until the Switch 2 Pro or the Switch 3 comes along, this portable, battery-powered AR setup more than does the trick.

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A massive leak has shown off what looks to be Meta's next pair of smart glasses, offering a first looks at Meta's rumored higher-end AR glasses — and they could arrive sooner than expected.

Known leaker Luna on X revealed several photos and videos showcasing Meta's next glasses, which are codenamed "Meta Celeste." The specs also appear to include wristbands known as "Ceres," which can be used to interact with AR environments seen in the AR glasses' display.

Recent reports indicated that Meta had a new, high-end pair of smart glasses set to arrive later this year, with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman stating these are called "Hypernova." Now, after datamining through Meta's latest firmware release, the leaker suggest these are those glasses.

If accurate, "Meta Celeste" are expected to boast a display at the bottom-right lens that shows information to the user, such as simple apps, notifications and photos taken on the device's camera.

As for the "Ceres" wristbands, these will let users control the glasses. This is backed by the videos shown in the leak, as you can see below:

The leaker also uncovered what looks to be text from a video tutorial, which states the following:

"Time for some magic! Did you know you can control your glasses display with your hands? Let’s learn how. When your band detects a gesture, you’ll feel a buzz on your wrist. Let’s start by selecting something. Quickly tap your index finger to your thumb and release.”

Interestingly, reports previously noted that these wristbands may be shipped with the smart glasses, but the device will also come with "touch controls on the frame's temple." This has been shown in another leaked video, too.

You can see the tutorial mimicking gestures with the wristbands in AR in another video

The leaker also showed a closer look at what the glasses and wristband may look like, although these are a tad grainy and look more like models used for marketing material. However, these already appear less clunky than other AR glasses on the market.

We also got a glimpse of what appears to be a game called "Hypertrail," according to the leaker, which may involve the user's location and is apparently inspired by "Galaga."

Recently, Meta revealed its Oakley’s Meta HSTN smart glasses, but its next AR glasses may not be far off considering the leak showcases many tutorial videos for the specs and wristbands. Plus, we've heard that the Meta Quest 4 may be delayed, with a lightweight alternative taking its place instead. Although, this may be another device, seeing as it's meant to arrive in 2026.

There's still a lot we have yet to find out about these upcoming Meta glasses, and if accurate, we could see the first step in the evolution of smart glasses if the "Meta Celeste" end up arriving this year. It will have some heavy competition in the Viture next-gen AR glasses and Snap's next Specs, though.

More from Tom's Guide

• Exclusive: I tested Viture’s next-gen AR glasses, and my eyes couldn’t believe what they saw
• I got the inside scoop on Snap Specs from the hardware VP — here's what you need to know about the new smart glasses
• I’ve worn smart glasses for over 4 years — here’s the best AR and AI glasses

Viture is close to revealing all about its next-gen AR glasses, and I got to go hands-on with them. I've been told to not talk about them until the announcement in July, but thanks to a little gift of gab, I can share a little more about my time with them.

I’ve seen the Reddit hype when I gave these specs Best of show at AWE 2025, so I’ll do my best to navigate what I can and can’t say to answer some of your questions — demonstrating why if you’re in the market for a new pair of specs, you should wait for just a few more weeks.

Because honestly? These are some of the best AR glasses I’ve ever seen.

The big picture

Let’s get into the main reason most of us buy AR specs — the picture quality. In this area, the likes of Viture and Xreal have been moving forward step-by-step in offering a bigger screen, a higher quality picture and a wider field of view.

And with these upcoming specs, you’ll see the biggest, brightest, sharpest, most vivid and widest screen yet. Using Sony’s newest micro-OLED tech, I could definitely see an improvement in fidelity over other glasses. No confirmation on what the resolution is, but to my eyes, something is sharper here.

Then of course you’ve got the Viture-style color calibration that ensures a real immersively accurate warmth to every picture with the smooth refresh rate, alongside a HDR-ish inky depth to the darker moments.

As to fringing around the edges that you can see in some glasses that tout a wide field of view, there isn’t any! Whatever size screen you simulate to completely fill out that display space, the corners and sides of it remain crystal clear in your near-peripheral vision.

Plus, shout-out to the new built-in functionalities (that I can’t talk about yet, but get hyped for them), and the dynamic tint control across those lenses creating a near-perfect blindfold across the front.

But what about size?

I saw this question a little bit on the subreddits too. This isn’t the first time I was exposed to 60 degrees. I saw a prototype a while back, and oh my word the bird bath prisms to pull this off were insane.

But with the new glass in these Viture specs, the company managed to nail it without adding any immediately noticeable size or weight to them on the face. They felt comfortable to wear, didn’t create any strain on the nose or the tops of my ears, and were easy enough to adjust for getting the picture just right.

I can envision these continuing to be nice to wear on long journeys without any fatigue on the face, while not getting many double takes on public transport.

Early verdict

And that is as much as I can tell you right now before Viture’s big announcement. There’s no word on price of full launch yet, so you’ll have to keep it locked for when the reveal happens, and I can share some more details (along with uncensored pictures) of what these specs look like!

The Xreal One Pros are the best AR glasses you can buy right now, and if you do get them, you won’t be disappointed. However, I have to admit the timing is awkward.

Virtue’s got a chance here, and provided the price is right, these look set to be something special!

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• I let smart glasses read my emotions and watch what I eat — and now I can’t unsee the future
• Snapdragon AR1+ is the smart glasses breakthrough I’ve been waiting for – here’s why

So as we found out last week, Snap is finally launching Specs to the public in 2026 — after an exhaustive developer program that spans four years since its first Spectacles AR glasses.

It’s been a helluva journey, and with Meta’s Project Orion on the horizon and Apple being “hellbent” on delivering smart glasses, this is becoming a very competitive space. So far, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel has said they will be smaller, lighter, and fully standalone with “no puck” required.

But there’s a lot we don’t know yet. What has been the story that’s led to this point where Snap is ready to go for a full public release? What tech can we expect inside these future contenders for best smart glasses? What’s the price? And is society ready for true AR glasses like this?

I had a chance to sit down with Snap’s VP of Hardware, Scott Myers, and put these questions to him.

Editor's note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Snap Specs are finally coming to the public in 2026. Evan mentioned that they will be smaller, lighter, and much more wearable. My first question is how? After going hands on with them, you can really feel how much tech is inside them. Are they actually going to be small enough as glasses, or will you make more fashionable choices that are big enough to house this tech?

What he said was that it's substantially smaller. We have been in this area for 11 years, and we have been building glasses for a very long time.

It’s public information that we have made some acquisitions that our entire optical engine is our own custom thing. We build it ourselves. We design it ourselves, which gives us a pretty unique position where we know exactly how these things are going. We have road maps for development and I really like where we're going.

And because we're not just a bunch of companies strung together, we're all one group working all toward the same goal. I can have the team designing, say, the waveguide, talking to the same team that's working on the rendering engine and Snap OS. And that synthesis is how we end up still confident about where we're at.

We've been getting feedback in a lot of different forms about the hardware. We've gotten some phenomenal feedback from the community, but also feedback such as “we wish the field of view was bigger,” you know, or that “the device was lighter.”

There’s a joke with the team that this is what I want [points towards his reading glasses]. It's not a question of what I want. It's how we get there. It's the trade-offs we make to go make these the dream of true augmented reality, something people can wear and walk around with. The social acceptability element is so critically important.

You're the first company that's spoken about social acceptability here at Augmented World Expo (AWE). There are numerous projects and things that I saw — all really innovative. But they weren’t thinking about the social faux pas of wearing a big old bit of tech on your face. What challenges do you see in really getting that social acceptability of AR glasses?

Well, I think this is one of the reasons we're standalone. I don't want to see people wearing a wire coming out of the back of their head.

The form factor obviously matters, but it's also the fit and finish of these things that matter when you make that jump. They need to be robust, but all of those are pulling the product in different directions.

I think one of our strengths is the balance of all of these things. You can make a giant field of view. Some companies have, but you also need really high pixel count or pixels per degree, because it's important for text legibility.

You need the ability to make it work indoors and outdoors. Why? Because I don't want to spend all my time inside. As I'm moving through my day, some of that's inside, some of it's outside. It needs to work in both.

So you can't just have static tint sunglasses, nor can you just make them clear because they don't work in both environments. Because we've been building these things for so long, we’ve learned how to solve those problems — what works and what doesn’t — but it’s all in that trade-off and exactly how you balance all those things.

Obviously, I'd want the battery to last for days, but then you end up with this giant battery pack that's directionally incorrect, too.

Snap’s strategy towards bringing Specs to the public has been different to what other companies have done — working with developers directly rather than doing a quicker public release. What was the decision making process to that? And what benefits do you see from going the direction you have for when you do land with Specs in 26?

This has been a multi-year multi-generation arc. We launched a pair of 26-degree field of view, augmented reality glasses in 2021 to developers. With that, we learned a ton, and it drove the way our development tool Lens Studio is constructed.

So we've been just iterating and iterating and iterating. It's an active conversation with the community.

We even iterate in public in collaboration with our Spectacles subreddit. We want to learn. And what we find is as the community grows, as people get better and better at building lenses, they start answering each other's questions. It's a back-and-forth.

That's what a successful community looks like, and we're building this together. And that's very, very intentional. It's in the way our pricing is structured. It's in the way our community is growing. We don’t just sell it to anybody, because we want the people who are really going to move the platform forward.

It's all intentional, and we're very happy with the results. As we've had the product out a little bit longer, the lenses have been getting more engaging and we're learning together how different UI elements are.

We're really here to build this with the community because it’s an entirely new paradigm. There's a lot of things that will take time for people to understand and figure out. It's not just going to be, “oh, here you go, developers — come build for this!” That's not going to work, in my opinion. It is a community-led discussion. And I couldn't be happier with that.

Speaking of price, I guess if we take a look at the range of pricing that you see across VR and AR products, are you seeing maybe Apple Vision Pro-esque pricing, or is Snap going to make Specs more affordable than that?

I think what Evan shared was more than Ray-Ban Metas, and less than a Apple Vision Pro. I recognize that’s a huge scale. Obviously we want to make it as low cost as possible. But, as you pointed out, it's pretty advanced technology.

And so there's a balance there. One of the things that may not be super intuitive is there's a lot of technology that there is not a ton of world capacity for. We have to go off and work with our suppliers to create these new technologies.

Then we have to build the capacity to actually produce them. It’s a fun challenge, but there’s certainly a ton of work to do. This isn't a Snap-specific problem. This is industry-wide.

Another big talking point from Snap is the AI integration with OpenAI and Gemini, alongside how it can fuel spatial intelligence. Currently, vision AI in something like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses is simple image recognition and small actions. How do you work to make that AI smarter and more personalized to the user based on spatial intelligence?

This is an area where Snap is in a very good spot. Trust matters, privacy matters. And the way we're constructing all of this is a privacy-centric way.

I want to personalize it, as this is the most personal device possible. It is literally seeing exactly what I'm seeing. And so, of course, we're going to bring in all the personalization that AI already has, like memory. That's an element here, but I'm actually more worried about how we do it in a privacy-centric way.

Back to your previous question, I'm very happy with our direction there. And we've shared a little bit about it, but having built these for a while, having lived with them, it's very much one thing to say "hey, what is this?" as a use case. I personally don't think it's that valuable.

It's more about that responsiveness — when I want it, I can go as deep as I want on any topic with it. But do so in a way that maintains my privacy for the times when I don't really need it. But I think that's maybe an undervalued, unexpected problem. You don't want to just share photos of your entire day!

Finally, one of the critical challenges I’ve heard from any company has always been battery life, and exactly how that challenge can be overcome in a way that you can get that all day wearability and all day battery life in like a pair of smart glasses. What is the target for battery life with Snap Specs?

I like that you said battery life, and not just battery capacity. It's all about the way you use it smartly. I worked on smartphones for a very long time. And the battery capacity has grown pretty consistently, but really, software has gotten much better in how it's being used.

This is one of the reasons we built Snap OS, so that we have complete control of how every little bit of energy is consumed across the device. It also goes to the way we design the displays, how we make them super efficient, how we do the processing and how we distribute the heat.

All of these things have to be balanced, and that's why it's so important for our engineers to be in lockstep with the ability to look at everything as precisely as I can.

The other thing I would say is I think if you were to have a full display, including everything in your world all the time, that would probably be visually overwhelming.

I don't personally want a world where I'm walking around and everything's an ad all the time. That would be terrible. So I think it'll be about what is shown and when, how it's used, and then just generally technology progressing.

You know, if you look at some of the initial talk times of very early phones, they weren't that long. I think we have a good strategy to increase the battery life now, and it'll just get better and better over time.

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Augmented World Expo (AWE) is a show focused on the world of virtual reality headsets and smart glasses, and how those devices are changing the future.

The 2025 edition was a leap forward from previous years with a massive presence from well-known tech companies like Qualcomm, Sony, and Meta.

Smart glasses are getting better and better, and headsets like the Meta Quest 3 are receiving more ways to play and work. And we haven't even mentioned the various wearables that can connect with your phone or these devices.

Much of the show is focused on the future of headsets and glasses, but there were a number of products that are coming soon or are available now.

We were able to go hands-and face-on with several products. Here's our picks for the best of AWE 2025 that you need to know about.

Best of show: Viture's next-gen AR glasses

Yes, these are the AR glasses that Viture has been teasing for a while now.

While I can't tell you much about my hands-on time until they are announced (can't show you them either, so I'm pixellating the glasses), the fact that I've immediately given them the "best of show" trophy is hopefully enough of a green flag of what you'll get here.

And what you do get is the best screen I've ever seen with a massive 60-degree field of view — all with that same great color production that Viture is known for.

On top of that, with such a huge field of view, the glasses don't look or feel significantly larger to pull it off, and there's zero fringing around the outer edges of the display.

Put simply, if you've been waiting for the best external display for your eyes on long journeys, I recommend you wait for these.

Jason England

Biggest announcement: Snap Specs in 2026

Snapchat had a massive presence at AWE 2025 with multiple demos of its current Snap Spectacles, including AI-enabled object recognition and linked glasses for multi-person experiences.

The biggest news was that its rebranded Specs will launch in 2026.

Developers have had access to the prototype versions of the new smart glasses since late 2024, with a ton of expected "Lenses" or apps already in development.

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel announced that the new glasses would be lighter and a "much smaller form factor" than the current Spectacles and the dev kits that we've seen.

Scott Younker

Best VR accessory: bHaptics TactSuit Pro

AWE 2025 was filled with VR accessories that ranged from haptic gloves to giant mech-suit-esque apparati. Unfortunately, many were either prototypes, meant for businesses, or too big for most people to feasibly use in their homes (looking at you, MEK).

bHaptics showed off its TactSuit, a series of wearable VR accessories that add haptic feedback to your VR gaming. And we got to try some, including a vest, gloves, and sleeves.

The accessories work with the Meta Quest 3 headset and were a lot of fun, even during simple tech demos.

They're a bit spendy, but if you're invested in VR gaming, they are worth the cost.

Scott Younker

Best AR Accessory: KiWear smart ring

Controlling AR content on glasses has been a bit of a minefield. Either you've got to use a secondary device like a wand (like the Xreal Beam Pro), or it's a whole hand-tracking situation that doesn't really work without more raw computation.

That's where the KiWear Smart Ring comes in — accurately capturing pinch and hand movements to a degree that it all feels like spatial computing without the need for an Apple Vision Pro on your face.

Whether it's pinching to select, swirling your finger around to change the volume, or turning your hand palm-up for additional interactions, it's all here with this ring. It could possibly bring on a new wave of controlling AR content.

Jason England

Best innovation: Emteq

We all know that AI goes hand-in-hand with smart glasses to deliver an immeasurably better experience — take a look at the Ray-Ban Metas for example. But it can all be a bit impersonal.

How do you make that AI more personalized to you? A lot of sensors, and that's what Emteq is doing. Simply put, this company has delivered a fitness and wellness tracker better than any smart watch or smart ring ever could be.

With nine optical sensors, it's able to measure your facial muscles to a near-microscopic level. This has uses in being able to create an avatar for talking in video calls, but the real immediate benefit I saw is in healthcare.

Not only can you use the cameras to take a picture of your food and use ChatGPT to give you a caloric breakdown of what you're about to eat, but you can also get a reading on whether you're chewing too fast, which may cause digestion problems.

And then the subconscious muscle twitches in your face can give it a read on your emotional well-being too. This is true personalized AI, and a look at what smart glasses could be as real assistants.

Jason England

Best AI device: Wizpr Ring

The Wizpr ring caught us by surprise as we wandered the AWE 2025 show floor.

It's an AI-enabled smart ring that features a microphone you can use to speak with AI. We tested it, and you can just about whisper, as the name implies, into the ring to give it commands or prompts.

On the loud show floor, we were able to ask questions like, "What's the weather like?" or "How far away is the nearest Starbucks?" and the interface appeared to hear and understand the prompts.

It can also be used to control some smart home devices like lights or media in your AirPods.

Scott Younker

Best glimpse of the future: Snapdragon AR1+

Snapdragon AR1+ is a turbo-boosted version of what you see in the Ray-Ban Metas, but it's so much more than that. You see, one of the common obstacles with AI in smart glasses is the time taken to receive a response from the cloud, or latency.

But this is able to run a 1-billion parameter model entirely locally, which is great for both privacy and speed. On top of that, there are improvements to camera quality, display quality, and energy efficiency.

This chip puts Qualcomm on a path towards smart glasses that cut the cord to any phone or additional computing puck, and sets them towards a future where your smart glasses could replace what you may be reading this on right now.

Jason England

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• I’ve worn smart glasses for over 4 years — here’s the best AR and AI glasses
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Apple famously does not talk about future products (delayed Siri notwithstanding), but I couldn't help but look ahead as I tried out all of the new features in visionOS 26 for the first time, which is in developer beta now and arriving this fall.

Yes, the new visionOS will launch on the Vision Pro, and as far as we know there's no new spatial computing hardware coming from Apple this year — although there's rumors of a lighter Vision Air headset on the way.

But as I stared at a panoramic photo widget of Japan and Mt Fuji on the wall in front of me — just like a window — I was thinking a lot more about the implications of visionOS 26 for the rumored Apple Glasses.

Spatial widgets that sink into your walls (and remember where you put them)

During one visionOS 26 demo, I was able to play around with the new spatial widgets, which I think have huge implications for a pair of Apple smart glasses.

I opened the new Widgets app in visionOS and then placed a clock on the wall I was staring at, and I could adjust the color and width of the frame. But with another tap I could then make it appear like that widget was literally sunken into the wall, adding an almost freaky sense of depth.

I also walked from one room to another to demonstrate the fact that you can pin widgets and make their locations persistent. So, for example, your music widget could always be in the same spot. And as I walked up to that widget I could see more info on the Lady Gaga album and start playing my music.

All of this is cool if you happen to have $3,500 to burn on a Vision Pro and don't mind wearing a 1.3-pound headset all day. But I think use cases like this get much more interesting when you can shrink the technology down to work on a pair of smart glasses.

3D photos somehow just got better

The Vision Pro could turn 2D photos into 3D before, but it was doing so by displaying information differently to your left eye and right eye.

The new Spatial scenes feature works differently and quickly turns your flat pics into something much more immersive, thanks to generative AI.

In one image I could literally peek behind a rocky outcropping and see more of a body of water that wasn't even there in the original photo. Apple is using a new AI algorithm that leverages computational depth to crate multiple perspectives from your 2D photos.

The result is that it feels like you can get various perspectives of the images just by leaning into the shot and tilting your head.

Again, I can see slipping on a pair of glasses to get this effect, but I don't know if the payoff is worthwhile if we're talking about a bulky headset.

360 videos taken to the next level

Easily the most jaw-dropping moment of my visionOS 26 demo was being able to see someone paraskiing, thanks to 8K footage captured by an Insta360 3D video camera.

The point of this demo was to show that visionOS 26 supports native playback of 180-degree, 360-degree and wide FOV content from 3D cameras. Apple's new Apple Projected Media Profile takes these shots and remap them into a sphere around you.

As the paraskiier essentially floated down a mountain and screamed his head off, I was both excited to live vicariously through him and relieved I was not him.

Honestly, I think this format is fine for the Vision Pro and might be tough to pull off in Apple Glasses, as they would have to give you a very wide field of view. But the demo was still impressive.

Shared AR experiences

There was only moment I laughed out loud during WWDC 25 — other than seeing Craig Federighi's CGI-enhanced windblown hair after emerging from an F1 race car.

And that was Apple showing two people wearing a visionOS headset together watching a movie on a couch. First, who is going to do that when you're in the same room? And, more important, who the heck can afford $7,000 worth of hardware for that sort of experience?

But there was a more compelling shared experiences demo for visionOS 26. An Apple rep loaded up a 3D version of Neil Armstrong's space suit and I could then zoom in on in and walk around it. This could be a great learning tool, for example, for parents trying to explain concepts to kids.

But I had to remember to take the Vision Pro's battery with me before I got up and walked around the space suit to inspect it, which puts a damper on the experience. This would be much more compelling with smart glasses.

The Personas are improved (but still freak me out)

Last but not least, I wanted to mention that I tried the new Persona in Vision Pro with visionOS 26. The virtual me definitely looks more realistic now, especially when you turn your head.

Before the side view was a real challenge. You'd turn your head, and it almost looked like you turned into a ghost with the missing detail. My hair and skin both looked more realistic, and Apple paid closer attention to little details like eyelashes.

Frankly, I still don't really love how my Persona looks. I wish I could smooth out my skin a bit and maybe whiten my teeth slightly. But you can enhance your Persona by changing the portrait effect, as well as accessorize with glasses.

I could see myself perhaps dialing into a video call in the future if Apple could pull this off with smart glasses.

visionOS 26 Outlook

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I like a lot of the features in visionOS 26, but until I see a lighter, more affordable spatial computer from Apple, I think Vision Pro will continue to be a tough sell.

I believe Apple's ultimate goal is to create a pair of smart glasses that can deliver all of the above experiences and then some.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple's Tim Cook was keenly focused on “lightweight spectacles that a customer could wear all day” — offering AR elements that “will overlay data and images onto real-world views.”

In fact, Apple is reportedly “hell-bent on creating an industry-leading product before Meta can.”

For me, visionOS 26 provides a very good starting blueprint for what Apple glasses could offer.

More from Tom's Guide

• WWDC 2025: iOS 26, Liquid Glass and all the biggest Apple event announcements
• Apple WWDC Interview: Craig Federighi and Joz on Siri delay, new Apple Intelligence features and what's next for AI
• iOS 26 announced — here's all the new features for your iPhone

Alongside Snapdragon AR1+ powering the future of smart glasses, Qualcomm also announced a new way to control your AR specs.

The KiWear Smart Ring is packed with sensors and haptic feedback to control your glasses like you’re guest starring in The Minority Report. After trying them myself, I believe this is what this category has been missing all this time!

Of course, this is all early days, but from being a simple AR controller to a full-blown XR-fueled health tracker, all bases are covered in what can be a more reliable way to get your devices out of the way — staying in the augmented world.

How does it work?

Formally announced at Augmented World Expo 2025 (AWE), the KiWear Smart Ring packs a lot of tech into a small device:

• PPG Sensor: Not just for health tracking options like heart rate and blood oxygen, but also to detect the way your finger moves to tap and interact with augmented objects.
• Inertial Measurement Unit: A combination of gyroscopes and accelerometers to detect hand movement for additional hand-centric interactions.
• Micro Motor: Haptic feedback for interactions.
• Touch Pad: The surface can be touched, scrolled and tapped too!

There’s even a microphone in there for whisper input, too. All of these on their own are pretty good, but it’s what happens when all of these come together.

Taps, swipes and concentric circles

The demo I tried was quite a simple one. Connected to the RayNeo X3 Pro, I had a simple home menu with apps to select — each with their own individual style of control.

For example, the music app gave you a simple pinch to pause/play, while turning your palm upwards and pinching skipped the track. Meanwhile, changing volume is as easy as swirling your ring finger in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. And to select another app from the home screen, you rotated the ring on your finger.

The interactions were super intuitive and a cinch to immediately get used to, and these are just the start of what you’ll be able to do.

The omnidirectional gesture control of the whole thing means the ring doesn’t have to be any particular orientation on your finger, and combining it with that IMU means you could reach out and tap icons — even while you’re driving!

Outlook

When it comes to controlling AR glasses, the answer has been so complex on paper — taking the complex sensor array you see on the best VR headsets and trying to squeeze them onto glasses.

More companies are figuring out how to do this with AI algorithms and a couple cameras, but the reliability is a bit all over the place. Both of these come with big compromises, which is why a smart ring like the KiWear makes so much sense to me.

If the company can work on reducing the size of the KiWear, we could very well be looking at the future of how we control smart specs!

More from Tom's Guide

• Forget Apple Vision Pro — visionOS 26 sets the stage for killer smart glasses
• Snap finally launching AR glasses to the public in 2026 - with built in OpenAI integration
• Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses just got a huge price cut — save 20% ahead of Father's Day

Update: Our Apple WWDC 2025 live blog is up and running. Check it out now for all the last-minute rumors and biggest news.

WWDC 2025 is almost here, and Apple is expected to dish out some big updates on its suite of devices — including the Apple Vision Pro.

First and foremost, Apple's annual developer conference looks to shake up naming conventions for its software, so instead of visionOS 3, we could see visionOS 26 take over. And if Bloomberg's report is accurate, the next version of Apple's spatial operating system is set to be "feature-packed."

We've seen how the Vision Pro headset has evolved over the years, including adding Apple Intelligence and more features with visionOS 2.4 and creating special immersive experiences like "Bono: Stories of Surrender" made for the Vision Pro.

But Apple has more in the tank, and whatever is unveiled to arrive in the next visionOS update could give us a sneak peek at what's to come further down the line in other rumored headsets, like the Vision Pro 2 or Apple Glasses.

Here's what to expect from visionOS 26 at WWDC 2025, including more Apple Intelligence features, eye-scrolling and an all-new Gaming app.

WWDC 2025: Predicted release date

As with iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe, we expect to see visionOS 26 be announced during Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, taking place from June 9 to June 13 (here's how to watch the Apple WWDC 2025 keynote).

Since visionOS 26 has yet to be officially announced, we won't know when it will be released until it's revealed on stage. However, we can make a calculated estimate of when users can check it out.

Apple's first major update to its spatial computing OS, visionOS 2, arrived on September 16 — alongside other updates to its products. With this in mind, visionOS 26 is expected to be released in mid-September, which is when Apple traditionally brings out its updates.

However, we can also predict that a visionOS 26 developer beta will arrive sometime in July.

visionOS 26: Updated user interface

Since its launch, visionOS on the Vision Pro has always kept that Apple aesthetic, like a combination between iOS, iPadOS and macOS. Now, rumor has it the Cupertino tech giant will be making some design tweaks, but more importantly, its look is tipped to inspire a major interface overhaul for iPhone, Macs and more

According to MacRumors, visionOS 26 will deliver some minor design changes to its user interface. Not much is known about what these changes could be, but it will hopefully bring a fresh coat of paint for cleaner, smoother navigation.

Interestingly, iOS 26 is expected to get a massive UI redesign, along with iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26. This is apparently part of codename "Solarium," with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggesting it will bring "consistency and unification" across Apple's ecosystem.

What's more, this design update is tipped to be inspired by visionOS. That means we may see more translucent backgrounds and potentially circular app icons. We won't know how this looks until it arrives, and while visionOS 26 may not see a significant design change, expect its look to drop on other platforms.

visionOS Gaming app

This is the big one. The Apple Vision Pro does have its mix of VR/AR games, such as Vacation Simulator, Thrasher, Proton Pulse Vision and more, but it hasn't exactly expanded its venture into gaming like other headsets, like the Meta Quest 3.

This may all change, as Apple will reportedly announce a new dedicated gaming app at WWDC 2025. It's expected to be a multi-platform app across Apple's devices, replacing the current Game Center service and making Apple Arcade titles and third-party games via the App Store more accessible.

According to rumors, there has been a push from Apple to explore more of its gaming capabilities, with murmurs of its Gaming app looking to rival Xbox last year. This appears to be the case, and the Vision Pro is expected to take full advantage of it.

visionOS 26: PSVR 2 controller support

A report from 9to5Mac indicates Apple is bringing VR controller support to its Vision Pro headset. Specifically, PSVR 2's Sense controllers. This would bring a new realm of gameplay to the headset, as for now it only includes hand tracking or Bluetooth gamepad, like the PlayStation DualSense or Xbox controller.

We could see more exciting titles become available with controllers involved, such as Resident Evil 4 Remake and Resident Evil Village in VR, seeing as these titles have already made their way onto iPhone and Mac, and Apple has seemingly struck a good partnership with Sony. We may also see more VR or mixed reality experiences through Apple Arcade made for visionOS.

We won't know for sure until it's announced, but Apple looks to have big plans in store when it comes to gaming, and it won't be leaving out the Vision Pro (and other spatial computing devices that may arrive).

Eye-scrolling feature

As per a Bloomberg report, Apple will bring an eye-scrolling feature to its Vision Pro headset. This adds to its built-in eye-tracking support, which already allows users to look at an app or element they want to interact with and use a hand gesture (thumb and index finger) to click on it.

This could mean using your eyes to look up or down at a page you're seeing and having it automatically scroll, but using a method that's user-friendly that doesn't make you feel uncomfortable.

This feature is set to be included in Apple's own apps, but there will be an API toolkit so it can be used in third-party apps, too.

Apple Intelligence

Thanks to visionOS 2.4, the Vision Pro has finally seen many Apple Intelligence features come onboard. Now, there's Writing Tools across apps for suggestions, rewrites and adjusting tone, Image Playground for generative AI image creation, Genmoji to create your own AI emojis, Smart Reply, AI-powered search in Photos and more.

So, what else will arrive with visionOS 26? Well, considering the launch of Apple Intelligence didn't take off all too well and we have yet to see a more personalized Siri, we're hoping to see major improvements come our way.

Since rumors point to Apple delivering unified integration across all of its products (there's now an Apple Vision Pro app on iPhone), there's reason to believe that any AI updates coming to iOS 26 will also come to visionOS 26.

So far, this could include upgraded AI for Siri, third-party AI integration and the use of AI in more apps. What's more, there's word of an AI battery management feature, which would work well for the Vision Pro's battery.

Apple Intelligence should be a big talking point at WWDC this year, and it would be a surprise to see visionOS 26 get left on the sidelines if all the other OS platforms receive updates.

Accessibility features

As for something we know will be arriving, Apple announced a wealth of accessibility upgrades for visionOS 26 that is set to arrive later this year.

For Apple Vision Pro, these features include the following:

• Braille Access: Allowing users to open any app by typing with Braille Screen Input or a connected braille device.
• Accessibility Reader: A new reading mode designed to simplify text for users with a wide range of disabilities (such as dyslexia or low vision).
• Enhanced View: Specifically for Apple Vision Pro users, this update to Zoom can magnify everything in view with the main camera, including their surroundings.
• Improved eye tracking: This will make it easier to type on the in-display keyboard.
• Shortcuts: The Accessibility Assistant shortcut has been added to visionOS and will feature Hold The Thought to capture and recall information in a note.

visionOS 26: Promising upgrades?

The Apple Vision Pro hasn't been the tech giant's most popular product, mainly thanks to its $3,499 price tag. But as Apple looks to expand its venture into spatial computing, especially against upcoming competitors like Android XR, it needs to bring even more features for people to get excited about — especially if a Vision Pro 2 or lower-cost headset is on the cards.

If visionOS 26 doubles down on Apple's gaming efforts, bringing support for VR controllers (or its own) into the fold and delivering a dedicated Gaming app that features some of the best VR/MR games around, then the Vision Pro will have a lot more going for it.

It won't be long until we learn more about visionOS 26 and all of its updates, as WWDC 2025 is kicking off on June 9. Stay tuned.

More from Tom's Guide

• WWDC 2025 — Apple can't afford to take a 'gap year' on AI
• I just watched ‘Bono: Stories of Surrender’ through the Apple Vision Pro — and it could change the way we experience movies
• Meta Quest 4 may be delayed until 2027 — but a lightweight alternative could take its place next year

Regardless of how hard I try, I’m never truly prepared for an ultra-long-haul flight even after doing them for years but this time, I had a feeling things would be different.

Flying back and forth from North America to Asia without a layover is no easy feat, especially since you’re going to spend at least 14 hours on a plane. Of course, I always come prepared with a tech bag full of gadgets and my last trip to Taiwan was no different.

From one of the best Android tablets to my work laptop and even a mini PC, I pack as many electronics as possible to bring with me on the plane. This does make things awkward at airport security but I’d rather have too many devices than wish I had brought something I hadn’t.

While my trusty Nintendo Switch has gotten me through a bunch of extended flights, I decided to leave it at home this trip as there are plenty of games in my backlog that I’ve been itching to play on the Nintendo Switch 2. Instead, I decided to give mobile gaming a go with a few of the best Android games but with a twist.

One of the best phone controllers can certainly give you a more console-like experience from your smartphone but you lose out on the big screen experience you get when playing on your TV at home. Fortunately though, I’ve been testing a new mobile game controller that gives you that same experience in a form factor that’s small enough for your seat-back tray table.

After a 16-hour flight there and then a 14-hour flight back home, I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun on an airplane and I owe it all to Viture and 8BitDo’s new mobile game controller.

A comfy controller with a trick up its sleeve

At first glance, Viture and 8BitDo’s new collaboration looks quite a lot like the 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller that was released last year. Well, that’s because it’s essentially the same controller with a new translucent design and one major upgrade under the hood.

Unlike with other, smaller mobile game controllers, this one features longer handles and full-sized, Hall Effect-equipped thumbsticks to prevent stick drift while offering a more comfortable feel overall. The Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller also has clicky bumpers and a D-pad that provide a nice tactile bump when pressed which is something I always look for in a pro controller.

Around back, there are two remappable back buttons just like on the new Backbone Pro I recently tried out. After wearing out my right thumb from years of mashing buttons, these have become a must for me and they can really make or break a new controller in my eyes.

Another thing that I really like about the Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller is that there’s a bit of texture on the back of its handles which makes it easier to grip for long periods of time.

Connectivity wise, you can slip any of the best phones with a centered USB-C port right into the middle of this controller to get everything set up. Not only is this fast and convenient but you don’t have to worry about making sure the controller is charged, like before a long flight.

Underneath its main USB-C connector, the Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller has another USB-C port on the inside of its right handle. While you can often find an extra USB-C port on a lot of mobile gaming controllers, they’re usually just for passthrough charging so you can keep playing without having to take your phone out.

That isn’t the case here though as this USB-C port is special. Sure, it can be used to charge your phone at up to 45W but you can also use it to connect a pair of the best smart glasses, specifically the Viture One XR or the Viture Pro XR glasses.

With a pair of Viture’s XR glasses and your phone docked inside, the Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller takes gaming on the go to the next level. And better yet, nobody can peek at what you’re currently playing.

Travel ready with a magnetic snap

This wasn’t my first time trying out a pair of specs like these as I recently got to spend some time with the Xreal One AR glasses and my favorite pocketable mini PC.

While I really enjoyed that experience, I was a bit bummed out when I realized I couldn’t use them simultaneously with my Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 as part of my ultimate remote play setup. So when Viture reached out to me about testing out its new Ultimate Mobile Gaming Pack, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

Besides the Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller, you also get a pair of Viture Pro XR glasses with the bundle. They’re just as comfortable to wear for extended periods as the Xreal One glasses but in my opinion, they have more of a sporty look to them thanks to the orange accents on one side.

One thing that I immediately liked after unboxing the Viture Pro XR glasses was the included case. It is slightly larger than the one that comes with the Xreal Ones but there’s a separate compartment for storing the USB-C cable you use to connect them to your phone, tablet, laptop and other devices.

Another key difference between the two is that Viture uses a magnetic connector on its glasses as opposed to a standard USB-C port. I do prefer non-proprietary cables but in this case, the magnetic connector makes it a cinch to quickly start using the Viture Pro XR glasses, and I love how the cable just snaps into place.

And with my bags packed for Taiwan, that’s exactly what I did the moment I made it through airport security.

Great at the gate but golden in the air

With 30 minutes or so to kill before my flight, I decided to break out the Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Pack and give everything a try before takeoff.

I briefly tested them out at home but in preparation for my trip, I loaded up my phone with as many console-quality Android games as I could from Dead Cells and Stardew Valley to the game I was most excited about (and dreading) playing with AR glasses: Alien Isolation.

It took me a minute or so to get my phone set up inside the controller and to connect the Viture Pro XR glasses and then, I jumped right back where I left off in my last Dead Cells run. Since I didn’t want to miss when boarding started for my flight, I short pressed the smaller button on the front of the glasses to toggle their electrochromic film off.

If you’re unfamiliar with XR or AR glasses, changing this setting causes their display to go from blacked out like when you’re wearing one of the best VR headsets to transparent. That way, you can see what’s on their screen and the world around you at the same time.

Since I’ve worn AR glasses before when out in public, I wasn’t embarrassed at all. However, I did get a few looks here and there but that was likely because I had my camera set up on the other side of the table snapping pics.

Even though I only got to play for 15 or so minutes before I had to find my seat, I had an absolute blast. And unlike with your standard mobile game controller, I didn’t have to crane my neck forward to see what I was playing.

Once on the plane, I waited till we reached cruising altitude before taking the Viture Pro glasses and 8BitDo controller back out. Compared to a laptop or even one of the best handheld gaming consoles, this setup felt a whole lot more compact and easy to stow away if my in-flight meal arrived or turbulence struck.

I started my 16-hour flight’s worth of mobile gaming slowly with some smaller, less intensive titles before ramping things up. Since I can’t play my go-to game, the skateboarding sim Session, on mobile, I did the next best thing and loaded up The Ramp first.

After a few rounds getting big airs and doing grabs on the game’s virtual halfpipe, I raced around a few courses in the Art of Rally. Getting the controls set up and mapped to the Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller took some time though as the mobile version isn’t as controller friendly as the PC or console one.

Speaking of remapping controls, before I left I also downloaded 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software V2 app along with Viture’s GamePal launcher. In 8BitDo’s app, I was able to remap the controller’s two back buttons as well as set up separate profiles for individual games.

This really came in handy and I’m glad I downloaded it beforehand. Meanwhile, Viture’s GamePal gives you a more console-like experience as all of your installed games show up neatly in one place.

I’ve been using the Nothing Phone 2 as my daily driver for almost two years now but during this trip, I left it behind. The reason being is that as a mid-range phone, it lacks the most important feature to make a setup like this one work: DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C.

Without it, you won’t see a thing when you plug in a pair of AR glasses, which sadly I learned after I took a chance on this lesser-known Android brand. Fortunately, my colleague John Velasco sent over a Samsung Galaxy S24 FE ahead of my trip and it did the trick and then some.

One of the coolest features on the best Samsung phones by far is DeX. Once plugged into a portable monitor or in this case, a pair of AR glasses, you get access to an extended Desktop eXperience that makes using your phone a whole lot more like a computer.

On the S24 FE with this particular setup, I really liked how I could use the phone’s screen as a trackpad while seeing everything else in the Viture Pro XR glasses. This really came in handy when I started a new farm in Stardew Valley a few hours into my flight. I could harvest my crops and interact with the residents of Pelican Town using the controller while sending my character to and fro with the touchpad.

There's always a place for this setup in my bag

As the overhead lights dimmed in the cabin during the part of the flight where you’re supposed to be sleeping, I figured it would be the perfect time to give Alien Isolation a try. For this one, I switched the Viture Pro XR’s electrochromic film on and found myself in complete darkness aboard Sevastopol Station.

Even though Alien Isolation is over a decade old and I was playing on mobile, everything looked fantastic. I found myself getting lost in the details of the space station and playing a first-person game like this with AR glasses was a very unique experience.

Before I knew it, my lengthy 16-hour flight was coming to an end and I had to pack up the Viture x 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Pack. I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable using this setup while traveling together with my family but while on my own on a work trip, it was the perfect way to get through a long flight while catching up on some of the better mobile games that have come to Android over the years.

Compared to one of the best gaming laptops or a Steam Deck, slipping the Viture Pro XR glasses and this one-of-a-kind mobile game controller into a bag was a whole lot easier (and lighter).

I hate to say it but part of me almost considered switching to one of the best iPhones for a second there so that I could play actual console games like Resident Evil 4 or even Death Stranding with this setup. Google certainly has some catching up to do when it comes to getting full-sized games on Android.

After running around Taipei for a week at Computex 2025, I came down with a bad cold the minute I got home. However, instead of being upset I got sick, it gave me a chance to try out this setup at home and let me tell you, there’s no better way to rest up than by playing your favorite games remotely on a 135-inch screen inches from your face while cosied up on the couch.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller and it adds the one feature I’ve always wanted
• Xreal One vs Viture Pro: Which AR glasses should you buy?
• I didn’t expect this mini PC that looks like a PS5 to be this powerful or customizable — and now I can’t wait to try it out

I told you that if Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t support AR glasses, I “might actually lose it.” Now after testing it ourselves, we can confirm this is true – there is no video out in those USB-C ports, so it’s time for a crash out.

In the year of our Lord, 2025, is it really that hard to put in the right USB-C port? No, it’s not, and my 35-year-old neck can’t take it anymore. By this point, I think it’s fair for most folks to expect some form of video signal from this essential socket, right as the best AR glasses you can buy are set to explode in popularity.

Which is why it becomes all the more annoying when it’s just not there. Some phone companies are notorious for this (looking at you, Nothing) but to not have it on the Switch 2 is just diabolical.

What’s the problem?

So technically, it could do video, but Nintendo’s supporting the wrong kind that nobody uses. This comes down to protocols – 99% of the market use DisplayPort Alt Mode for real versatility and a nice high bandwidth, whereas the big N seems to be using the same Mobility DisplayPort (MyDP) standard it used with the original Switch.

Bear in mind this is a standard that was typically used with a micro-USB port, so it’s rather old and is used for cost effectiveness. But what it’s done instead is cause a whole load of headaches and neck pain.

You see, my favorite way of playing on the best handhelds like my Steam Deck (especially with Nvidia GeForce Now) is to pop in my pair of Xreal Ones and have a 1080p picture right in front of my eyes.

Whether it’s on my beanbag in the living room or on a long haul flight, being able to look straight ahead rather than crane your neck to look down or cause hand strain by trying to hold up the handheld for a long period of time has been a Godsend. But that’s just a little too convenient now isn’t it!

Back to the old, busted ways

Instead, we’re right back to square one – having to use whatever weird workaround from the likes of Xreal or Viture to trick the Switch into thinking it's running in docked mode, run that HDMI signal through an encoder then to the glasses.

Not only is this a pain to set up, but it causes serious latency issues on gameplay and leads to drastically reduced battery life with the increased power draw of the Switch thinking it's in a dock.

Nintendo is using an entirely different video out standard to literally every other device on the planet, and I just can’t wrap my head around it.

You had one job

Will many people care? I’ve seen the launch day queues going for blocks, so I’m inclined to say “not really.” But that’s not the point, and neither is the possibility of Nintendo making it proprietary so that the company could make its own glasses.

The point is that USB-C was brought in to be a universal standard, and be all things to all people – I mean universal is literally in its name! And yet, companies are just doing weird things with it, to the point that it’s actively making your experience with gadgets worse.

And what’s even weirder is that Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 does support USB mice. The company seems open to third party accessories, so why on Earth did we not get AR glasses thrown into the mix?

On behalf of all 30-somethings who are plagued by the neck pains of a poor posture past like me, it’s time you called a chiropractor.

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Android XR is Google's new AI-powered platform for powering a new wave of headsets like the Samsung Galaxy XR, and smart glasses like the upcoming Project Aura. The mixed reality platform has been rolling out slowly over the course of this year, but we just got a huge update and confirmation that glasses are coming next year.

Namely, three new features have been added to the Galaxy XR headset, which ensures the Apple Vision Pro and visionOS is now facing even stiffer competition. And we just went hands-on with Android XR smart glasses ahead of their launch in 2026.

Fully integrated with Gemini, its homegrown artificial intelligence, Google is onto something here about the future of mixed reality. So let's answer the key questions: what is Android XR? And how is it set to change the next generation of AI-powered augmented reality?

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• Android XR — here’s how it’s different than VR headsets

What is Android XR?

• A VR/AR-focused version of Android that runs on mixed reality headsets and smart glasses.
• Infused with Gemini to make interactions feel more intuitive.

Android XR is Google's operating system for extended reality devices. It's intended for use with virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (XR) headsets, as well as smart glasses.

Android XR is part of the Android platform, which extends beyond smartphones to tablets, wearables, car dashboards and TVs. This OS enables developers and device makers to utilize tools such as ARCode, Android Studio, Jetpack Compose, Unity and OpenXR to create specialized apps, games and other experiences within a development environment similar to the rest of the ecosystem.

Google is collaborating on the framework with key manufacturing players Samsung and Qualcomm, alongside AR glasses company Xreal. This has led to the full launch of Samsung Galaxy XR, alongside an two types of smart glasses:

• AI glasses: Screen-free glasses that use built-in speakers, microphones and cameras to chat with Gemini.
• XR glasses: Led by Xreal's Project Aura (and with display-based standalone prototypes from Google directly), these are smart glasses with displays, which can overlay visuals on the world.

Google has developed versions of its suite of apps for use on the XR platform. They include favorites like Google Photos, Google Maps, Chrome, and YouTube. That's just the start of the Google-led experiences that will be available at launch.

Extended reality is an umbrella term encompassing an immersive experience combining physical and digital components. The physical component is something you wear on your head or face, while the digital part refers to something like the heads-up display on a pair of smart glasses.

Android XR is not Google Glass, despite Glass being the predecessor. While it is an evolution of the initial platform launched in 2013, Android XR is an extension of the broader Android platform. Its existence should help expand Android's reach beyond phones, tablets, cars and TVs.

Android XR shares many similarities with Apple's visionOS on the Vision Pro, as well as Meta's extended reality offerings. Meta calls its software Horizon OS, which powers the Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets.

Android XR headsets

• Currently only one — Samsung Galaxy XR ($1,799).
• No word yet on any other brands making Android XR headsets.

Android XR offers two main experiences out of the gate. The first is in the form of a visor-like headset that goes over the head.

The Samsung Galaxy XR is an example of that. The device uses outward-facing cameras and sensors to map the environment and projects it inward, allowing you to walk around.

The headset then projects a desktop-like environment that spans the length of the headset. Place your hand in view, and Android XR will recognize it as input.

Pinch and grab the various translucent windows or layer them on top of one another. You can even click out of them like on the desktop. Or, use Gemini to summon a fully immersive video experience using spatial audio.

Android XR smart glasses

• Standalone glasses with and without displays in the works with partners Samsung, Gentle Monster and Warby Parker.
• Xreal Project Aura — a wired pair of AR glasses connected to a compute puck.

Android XR on a pair of smart glasses is a different experience. In our hands-on time, we got to try two different versions: Xreal's Project Aura and a standalone prototype from Google.

Starting with Project Aura, which we first heard about at Augmented World Expo. This is your traditional AR glasses, but wired to a computing puck (packed with Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2). However, when you dig down into the specs, they are far more than "traditional."

The glasses themselves come with Xreal's next-gen silicon from the X1 chip found in Xreal One — named X1S — to deliver improved spatial tracking. That's especially important given the fact these have the widest field of view of any AR glasses at 70 degrees through those prisms behind the lenses.

In the demo we got to try, this felt a lot more like the fully-fledged merging between a VR headset and AR glasses that we envision the future of smart glasses to be. Immersive entertainment meets augmented reality assistance with Gemini.

Second was a less powerful standalone prototype. This is more of a glimpse of what we could be seeing in partnership with the fashionable likes of Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. These use waveguide displays (light shot through ridges imprinted into the lenses of the glasses) to show information.

While not as immersive as Project Aura, they do still have that augmented reality helpfulness of Google Maps, Gemini and more — while also being more subtly designed than the larger, cabled Xreal specs.

When to expect Android XR Glasses

• Augmented reality Android with Gemini on-the-go.
• Visuals appear like a HUD over your everyday life.
• Multi-modal AI allows you to get answers to questions based on what you point at.

The first Android XR devices should be available in the second half of 2025. Based on what Samsung and Xreal have mentioned in earnings calls and press releases, they should be among the first to roll out Android XR-based products.

The overall cost of Android XR headsets and smart glasses has yet to be determined. Samsung and Xreal will be the companies to set the standard pricing for the headset and glasses, respectively.

Any Android XR smart glasses would have to be priced on par with the Ray-Ban Metas, which start at $300.

Android XR’s competition

• Meta Quest 3 and Ray-Ban Meta glasses are its most direct competition.
• Snap Specs will compete when they launch in 2026.
• Apple is focused on launching a pair of its own smart glasses.

So there's a lot of competition to Android XR, which is already available to buy or launching in 2026. Most prominent amongst them in the mixed reality headset space is the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S. But Meta's also fighting Android XR in the glasses space too with the screen-free Ray-Ban Meta specs, and the Meta Ray-Ban display glasses.

Up next is Snap, the company behind Snapchat, who have Snap Specs launching in 2026. These have been in developers hands for years, and now, the company is preparing a full public launch next year. I got to interview the VP behind the project and test out the more public-facing version of SnapOS that you will be using.

And finally, the unknown. Apple is reportedly "hellbent" on making smart glasses, and you can see why! Smart glasses are exploding in popularity right now, and visionOS 26 just feels like it would be perfect on a pair of specs.

I have no doubt many more will come to the front over the course of next year, including the Rokid Glasses, the RayNeo X3 Pro and more. On top of that, more and more features will be added to Android XR between now and the launch of glasses. So keep it locked to Tom's Guide for more.

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Viture already knocked it out of the park with its Pro XR glasses, and now it's teasing a new set of XR glasses — and they aim to deliver big upgrades to shake up the smart specs space.

The next-gen XR glasses from Viture will be the first to use Sony's latest Micro-OLED panels, offering a sharper, brighter and wider field of view than we've seen in AR glasses to date. What's more, the specs will arrive with 6DoF (six degrees of freedom) for expanded, more realistic movement in a 3D space.

It isn't just one pair of XR glasses either; Viture looks to launch multiple specs that will be "perfect" for everyone, meaning we may see different styles as with the selection of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

We've seen how the Viture Pro XR glasses propelled AR to new heights with its impressive display tech, making it one of the best smart glasses you can get. But it's next pair are already looking to bring more to the table, bringing spatial computing into focus.

Let's dive into what we know.

The future of XR?

Just from the teaser images, we know the next-gen Viture XR glasses will sport a similar lightweight and premium design as with its previous specs, but this time with multiple stylings. It will also feature a camera on its frame not unlike the Ray-Ban Meta glasses or Snap Spectacles.

This should bring spatial computing more into the fray. With 6DoF, you're getting full rotational movement of your body in a virtual environment, so the glasses are able to track your location and full motion. We've seen this in the Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest 3 and even other smart glasses like the Xreal Air 2 Ultra.

However, Viture is bringing this support to more compact, everyday eyewear, and combining this with Sony's latest Micro-OLED panels means these specs may deliver a fully immersive mixed reality environment with sharper visuals and a much wider field of view (potentially even a bigger 135-inch virtual screen than its Pro XR glasses).

There's still a lot to learn about Viture's upcoming specs, including its official release date and price, but there are a few predictions we can make that may come to light.

Putting spatial computing into focus

For one, the XR glasses will "offer everything similar products do, but with many unique features and refinements others can’t match." Thanks to Viture's SpaceWalker allowing for a multi-display setup right in the lenses, it already touches on how it can handle spatial computing.

That said, if the specs are set to bring "unique features and refinements," we could see support for Android XR but with unique apps from Viture itself. Or, Viture may be cooking up some of its own tech to compete with Google's XR OS.

Of course, this is still up in the air, but judging by how well the company has successfully combined its own software with its hardware, it's not out of the realm of belief.

We're sure to learn more about Viture's next-gen XR glasses soon, and we hope to see stronger audio and a better viewing angle, too. With smart glasses edging closer to its next generational leap, especially in a mixed reality space, we'll be keeping a close eye on these upcoming specs.

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I've been a working journalist for over 15 years, and along the way I've been lucky to travel the world covering events like CES, Computex, Gamescom and more.

It can be a fun part of the job, but it also tends to leave me with a week's worth of neck and back aches from hunching over my laptop the whole trip.

If I'm lucky I can bring a cheap laptop stand with me and use voice dictation to work a little more comfortably in a hotel room, but when you're covering a major event you're often stuck staring at your laptop all day—and that wreaks havoc on my body.

But I recently started testing out something that gives me hope for pain-free work trips in the future: Spacetop, the new augmented reality productivity software from Sightful.

When launched on a compatible Windows 11 laptop with a pair of Xreal Air 2 Ultra AR glasses plugged in, Spacetop shows you an adjustable workspace that's roughly 100 (virtual) feet across floating in front of you.

Spacetop requires a compatible laptop, a pair of $699 AR glasses and a $199/year subscription fee, but in return you get a piece of software that launches an extended AR workspace any time you plug in the glasses.

That's a bit more useful than the default way Windows 11 behaves with AR glasses, which is to simply mirror your desktop and show it to you floating in front of your vision.

With Spacetop you can drag and drop apps and windows anywhere on the massive floating "wall" in front of you, where they remain until you move them again.

So when I booked a trip up to Seattle last week to cover Microsoft Build 2025, I figured it would be the ideal trial for Spacetop. At an event like Build I tend to spend hours sitting in conference rooms listening to people speak as I type on my laptop, which leads to hours of craning my neck down (interspersed with brief bouts of wandering around) followed by hours more of writing in my hotel room.

If Spacetop works as well as advertised, I reasoned, it would be a huge help at Build because I could do all that work without having to constrain my neck. So after I booked my tickets and packed my bag I threw the Spacetop review unit Sightful loaned us into my carry-on and hit the road.

Now that I'm back, I'm pleased to report it was the most comfortable work trip I've ever taken — thanks to Spacetop.

I wish AR software like this was normal and readily available already

Put simply, I wish I could use Spacetop or something like it for every work trip I ever take again.

While there were times I wanted to take the glasses off or disable the software, in general my three days at Build were more comfortable and less painful than any working trip I've taken in decades.

Even if you don't feel comfortable putting on a pair of bulky AR glasses in the middle of a work meeting, just having access to the Spacetop software when working during breaks or after hours in my hotel was such a relief.

Sure, I felt like a giant nerd working on a laptop with AR glasses on in a hotel bar, but any social stigma was worth it for the sweet, sweet relief of being able to work for a few hours without feeling like someone had taken a 2x4 to my back and neck.

The real trial by fire came during Microsoft chief Satya Nadella's Build keynote, which I helped cover live from deep within the bowels of Seattle's Arch Convention Center. I've liveblogged more than a few tech company keynotes in my day, and it's never been easier or more comfortable than it was for me at Build 2025.

With Spacetop running I could sit in the audience and watch Nadella walk around the stage hitting his talking points, seamlessly glancing over at my Chrome tabs floating around him whenever I wanted to jot down a quote or respond to a coworker's Slack message.

It was a little surreal watching Microsoft's head honcho walk through the ghostly AR browser window where I was drafting a story about how Microsoft is all in on AI at Build as he was talking about the company's AI plans for 2025.

It felt like I was in the future, and by the time we entered the second hour of the Build keynote my neck and back were so grateful to be there.

Sure, it does get tiring to wear the Xreal glasses and stare at glowing AR displays for hours. And the $200/year subscription fee on top of having to lay out $700 for a pair of AR glasses is a big financial hurdle for lots of folks, myself included.

But my time covering Build with Spacetop was such a game-changer that I'm already pining for more AR adoption, more competing productivity software and more applications of AR in the workplace in general.

Maybe it's just that I'm pushing 40, but I've never felt more passionately how important it is to create ergonomic, comfortable workspaces — and AR software like Spacetop unlocks a new level of computing in comfort.

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If you've ever wanted to work at your laptop without having to crane your neck down to see the screen, Spacetop might be the AR productivity solution for you.

I say that because I've been testing it for a little over a week now with a pair of Xreal Air 2 Ultra AR glasses, and Sightful's Spacetop software, which makes using Windows in augmented reality a lot more comfortable than it is by default.

You might remember Sightful as the makers of that eye-catching screen-free Spacetop G1 laptop I wrote about a couple years ago. The G1 prototype looked like a decapitated laptop, with a pair of Xreal AR glasses nestled in a carrying nook where the laptop's screen should have been.

Back then the goal was to design a mobile workstation that gave you all the versatility of a modern laptop with the freedom of a huge virtual canvas only visible to you via a pair of AR glasses. I tried it myself and it was neat, albeit limited by the fact that the early hardware ran on Android.

In the years since I tried that prototype, Sightful has pivoted to being a purely software company that aims to sell Spacetop as an AR productivity app for Windows PCs (and one day, hopefully, Mac). In fact, you can order the software from Sightful right now as part of a $899 bundle that comes with a pair of Xreal Air 2 Ultra glasses ($699 MSRP) and a 12-month Spacetop subscription ($199/year).

That's right, now it's not just software—it's a subscription-based platform, and it requires a laptop with at least a Core Ultra 7 Intel Meteor Lake CPU.

Sightful claims it was always intent on being a software company, and while I'm a little sad it won't be selling screen-free laptops, I can definitely see the value in selling this software to folks who already own laptops they love. Plus, it's nice to have a screen you can switch back to if you get a headache working in AR.

I've been testing Spacetop for a week or so now, and while I do sometimes get fatigued and have to take the glasses off I can generally work for hours without a problem. In fact, I'm writing this entire article via Spacetop, with my feet up on the coffee table and my head lolling back on the couch like the lazy writer I am.

Is it ergonomic? Probably not. But it's a heck of a lot more comfortable than craning my head down to stare at the screen, and I think it might be my new favorite way to use a laptop.

I can see the future of AR work from here

The way it works, in my experience, is that when you plug the AR glasses into your laptop you see a big virtual 100-foot "canvas" floating in the air in front of you. You can open apps and drag windows around on this canvas just like it was your Windows desktop, except it's floating in the air.

So right now I have Chrome floating above my TV while I lay on the couch, and the browser is easily 4x as large as my 65-inch LG C2 OLED. The canvas itself is even larger, and extends beyond the Xreal Air 2 Ultra's field of view in every direction.

Admittedly, I have to crank Chrome's zoom level up a bit to be able to comfortably read what I'm writing while it appears to be floating ten feet away. But it's an easy adjustment to make!

I've also tried playing some light PC games through Spacetop, and it works well enough. When a game is in full-screen mode it just sits in a window in the center of the canvas, but if you switch it to windowed mode you can drag the game around the canvas like any other app.

The scope of the canvas is defined by a grid of faint white dots that fade away when your cursor isn't nearby, so you can get a good sense of how much "room" you have to work with without being distracted by the dots.

You can click and drag or use keyboard shortcuts to move the Spacetop canvas around, moving it up and down or side to side as well as closer or farther away.

You can also change the angle a bit, so you can "tilt" the top of the canvas towards you if you want it to feel more comfortable while looking up or tilt it back to make the canvas stand tall and flat like a wall in front of you.

At the bottom edge of the canvas sits the Spacetop launcher, a small bar that plays host to a list of open apps, a battery level indicator, the time and an app launcher—basically a truncated version of the Start menu that opens when you hit the Start button.

Within that menu there's also a toggle for Travel Mode, which you can turn on if you find the Spacetop canvas too hard to use while you're in motion. So if you're on a plane or a train, enabling Travel Mode tells the software to tap the laptop's NPU and sensors to try and keep everything steady while you work.

In my limited testing it works well, but I'm hoping to keep putting it through its paces in different venues and vehicles to see how well Spacetop can improve on the default experience of plugging a pair of the best smart glasses into your laptop.

But of course, what's nice is that you can just close the Spacetop software if you'd rather go back to the default "desktop hovering directly in front of your eyes" Windows AR experience.

There are some good reasons to switch it off sometimes, too. While I think Spacetop improves on the baseline Windows AR experience in key ways, most notably by letting you lean your head back while working, there have definitely been times when I would trade the extra space of the Spacetop canvas for the reliability of having my desktop hovering right in front of my eyes no matter how I move my head.

And of course, I'm not happy that you have to pay $200 a year to use this software. That makes sense for a business ordering this stuff in bulk, but as an individual I'm not sure it's really worth the price unless you plan to spend a lot of time working in AR.

But Sightful is clearly making a play to put Spacetop into workplaces worldwide, starting with the U.S. and Germany. The company has worked with Intel, SHI International and Deutsche Telekom to fine-tune its software and start rolling it out this year, with plans to expand to more countries throughout 2025.

After only a few weeks with this software I'm still not sure I'm ready to make the switch to working in AR full-time, but I can already see the benefits—and I think my eyes are starting to get more comfortable working for hours in the Xreal glasses.

While my eyes are adjusting to the strain of AR, my neck feels better than it ever has after a few hours of working on a laptop. That alone makes me hope we're on the verge of a new way to work—you might look goofy in AR glasses but believe me, your neck and back will thank you.

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Apple Vision Pro has had a rocky launch to say the least. It’s one of the most technologically advanced gadgets you can buy, but it’s hurting people’s heads, necks, eyes and wallets.

There is a plan to turn it around, though. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman Apple is hard at work on a next generation Vision Pro that will fix some of our biggest problems with it.

However, if this is true, I’d probably hold off on buying one because Vision Pro 2 is merely a side quest to Tim Cook’s endgame — AR glasses that rule the world and beat Meta.

Vision Pro-er

At first, Apple was planning a "more basic refresh" — leaving the design of the Vision Pro well alone and just bumping up the chipset inside. That plan has changed drastically.

Gurman is talking about a lighter and cheaper next generation headset, which contradicts earlier reports that the project had been postponed. How the “lighter” part is done, the report is light on details. But if I may be so bold as to recommend a few things (if you’re reading this, Apple):

• Change the materials: the premium aluminum chassis and glass optics are gorgeous, but heavy is the head that wears this setup.
• Better weight distribution: the overhead strap is a necessity to not feel the fatigue of the Vision Pro dragging down on your nose. Make the most of room on that head band and maybe move some of the computational elements around the side.
• Incorporate the battery pack around the back: Yes it’s additional weight, but this would balance out the front-loaded heaviness. And no more getting your hands caught up in the loose cable!

Elsewhere, the $3,499 price tag will be tackled by this new headset (fingers crossed for something around the $1,000 or less mark), and to eliminate latency for using with a Mac (one of the most-loved features amongst Vision Pro users), it will have the ability to connect wired to your Apple laptop or desktop).

"The idea is to create an ultra-low-latency system for streaming a user's Mac display or for connecting to high-end enterprise applications," Gurman writes.

"Some customers have been using the Vision Pro for things like viewing imaging during surgery or for flight simulators. Those are two areas where a user would want the least amount of lag possible — something that can't be guaranteed by a fully wireless system."

The AR Glasses race

But all that said, something even more exciting could be happening behind the scenes. As Gurman reports, “all of this is a stepping stone toward Cook’s grand vision, which hasn’t changed in a decade.”

Apple’s eyes are set on “lightweight spectacles that a customer could wear all day” — offering AR elements that “will overlay data and images onto real-world views.” But not only is this a “grand vision,” the Cupertino crew are “hell-bent on creating an industry-leading product before Meta can.”

According to an inside source, Tim Cook "“cares about nothing else" and “It’s the only thing he’s really spending his time on from a product development standpoint.”

I love my Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and with rumors of the ‘Hypernova’ glasses from Zuckerberg’s gang coming by the end of this year, this is incredibly exciting. It’s obvious that the next move for VR and AR is for a gadget that takes the computational power of a VR headset and crams it into a pair of specs.

To see Apple racing towards that and bringing the “it just works” synergy to the smart glasses space would be significant. Let’s just hope that Apple Intelligence is in a better position for when they arrive, because that would make them a must-buy for me.

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While geeks like me dream of VR power in AR glasses, most people just want smart specs that work with their phone, laptop, or Steam Deck — saving neck pain by being a glorified external display on your face.

For that, you could spend a lot on something like the Xreal One or the Viture Pro. Or, you could just save yourself a bunch of money and get the RayNeo Air 3s. And to you, I’d say this is the best budget pair of smart glasses you can buy right now.

At $269, you’re getting a bright, vivid and smooth 1080p picture through those micro-OLED panels running at 120Hz. On top of that, the speakers in these glasses are actually rather great with a much louder sound that isn’t distorted, and comes with a surprising amount of bass.

And all of this is packed into a device that looks sleek, has plenty of adjustability and is comfortable to wear for hours and hours on end. It’s made all of my past three flights zip by in a flash.

Put simply, if you do not care about the spatial computing craze and just want a big screen in front of your eyes for long-haul journeys, there’s no better cheap pick than this.

RayNeo Air 3s: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a pair of AR glasses — something you can plug into any USB-C compatible device and use as an external monitor in a pair of specs.
• Who is it for? The Air 3s are perfect for those looking to buy their first pair of AR glasses, with the sole purpose of saving themselves a whole lot of neck strain on long journeys.
• What does it cost? The RayNeo Air 3s come in at $269, but there is a $50 coupon right now taking the price down to $219. For my friends in the UK, international delivery is available from RayNeo’s website.
• What do we like? Put simply, I just love the quality it offers at its low price. Normally, AR glasses are coming in at a hefty cost, but you can get a giant 201-inch simulated screen that is bright, colorful and smooth, along with strong speakers and a sleek, premium build for an affordable price.
• What don’t we like? However, to get this, you won’t be getting any of the spatial smarts you’d see in more expensive competition, and no way to block out the light for immersive viewing — be it electrochromic lenses or a blocker.

RayNeo Air 3s: Specs

RayNeo Air 3s: The ups

The fasten seatbelts sign lit up, and I was locked in with my Steam Deck, MacBook Pro and my Air 3s. This is where the glasses really came into their own.

A portable entertainment powerhouse

Let’s start where it’s important. Tearing into Forza Horizon 5 really showed the flash flood of color, the brightness, and fluidity of the picture offered in these HuwView prisms. Simulating up to a gigantic 201-inch display in front of you at a 1080p quality, this is a cinematic experience.

With a 98% DCI-P3 color gamut and 2000,000:1 contrast ratio, not only did things get pretty immersive when diving into atmospheric shows and movies like Entergalactic (not fully, though, but more on that later), I also had confidence in the color accuracy when diving into creative apps like Photoshop on my M3 Pro MacBook Pro.

Oh, and for those working sessions, the certified Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free tech ensures no real eye strain — no matter how many thousands of miles I travelled with these glasses.

To rank it picture quality-wise, I struggled to really tell the difference between this and its more premium competition in the Xreal One and Viture Pros. The fact I’m saying this is significant given the fact you’re spending up to $230 less on the Air 3s.

Surprisingly strong audio

Normally, speakers in AR glasses are a bit pointless. They’re just there to give you an all-in-one solution, but the tinniness of trying to cram some tweeters into glasses means you’re always going straight for the headphones.

And while that much is true to drown out the crying child on my flight, in moments where you just need to hear your tunes fast at home when plugged into your laptop or PS5, the quality is unlike anything I’ve heard on any AR glasses before.

Using the world’s first dual opposing acoustic chamber design — these speakers are allowed room to reverberate and produce a surprisingly rich bass, while keeping the mids and highs shining.

Plus, Whisper Mode 2.0 eliminates plenty of the noise leakage here too, to the point that my partner was able to sleep soundly next to me (nobody tell her I was busy playing Cyberpunk while she rested).

Peak wearability

2.8 ounces is on the lighter side for AR glasses, and you can really feel this. They sit nicely on the nose with cushioned pads and there isn’t any actual fatigue on top of the ears.

Weight is balanced nicely across the Air 3s, and with 9 adjustable angles of those arms, you can get them to sit just right on your face for comfort. And it helps that they're pretty sleek-looking too — with its silver-finish across the arms and the singular lens front looking rather svelte.

Now, don’t get me wrong, they definitely stand out a little more than your Wayfarer-esque Xreals, but they’re subtle enough to not get a second glance on a plane. The only real weird gazes you may get is being that guy who wears sunglasses indoors.

RayNeo Air 3s: The downs

But with a budget pair of glasses, there will inevitably be compromise. Nothing overtly bad, but something to keep on your radar.

No way to block out the world

In the depths of whatever long-haul flight you may be on (or if you’re playing in the comfort of your own home for that matter), you may be looking for that additional level of immersion by blocking out the view coming in through the lens.

Most premium glasses do this with electrochromic lenses, which you can turn on to completely blindfold yourself. Cheaper options give you a plastic lens shade to attach to the front. While it’s not surprising that the Airs don’t come with the more advanced lens tech, it’s weirdly frustrating that it doesn’t come with the lens cover.

It may be a small thing, but it’s the difference between being immersed in a shock twist, and getting distracted by the weirdo doing stretches in the aisle.

RayNeo Air 3s: Verdict

The RayNeo Air 3s glasses are a bit of a combo breaker — packing impressive display and audio tech into a lightweight, premium pair of AR glasses at a budget price.

They are a no frills option, which doesn’t rely on spatial computing technologies to make them look fancy. You get a boiled-down pair of glasses with a ruddy good screen to watch, play and work on.

And at $269, they’re a steal for what you get. If you’re buying your first pair of AR specs, or you don’t care for the 3DOF fancies, these are the ones to buy.

Snapchat's new Spectacles AR glasses are the first pair of smart specs that gave me a glimpse of the future of eyewear.

How so? Well, aside from being able to play a virtual game of frisbee with a furry little critter in Niantic's Peridot Lens game (the developers behind Pokémon Go), I was amazed by how I could share a space with other Spectacles users and see what they see — and vice versa.

From creating AI-generated 3D images right on the AR glasses and drawing smiley faces in the air to dropping virtual sandwiches to Peridot creatures, everything I was doing in augmented reality could be seen in real time by others wearing Snapchat Spectacles.

Not only that, but I was also able to interact with other people's creations, being able to move around and resize 3D images and even pet others' furry friends. It was all in a shared space, and most importantly, it all worked in a snap (pun very much intended).

After trying out the latest generation of Snapchat's Spectacles during an exclusive demo in London, I realized two things: Snap is successfully making shared AR experiences a reality, and the future of smart glasses looks to be a lot of fun.

While this pair of Snapchat Spectacles are made for developers, behind a subscription price of $99 per month, it's a taste of what's to come, especially with Meta’s $1,000 smart glasses and Android XR coming down the line. If they are anything like what I've seen in the demo, the best smart glasses will be seeing a generational leap for consumers, and soon.

Now, onto my AR shenanigans.

Spec check

First, a quick look at what these AR glasses bring.

The Snapchat Spectacles are powered by two Snapdragon processors that distribute tasks between them. That brings a lot of power, but you'll find that battery life only lasts around 45 minutes, and less when using demanding apps (one pair died while I was using it).

Otherwise, they boast a 46-degree diagonal field of view with a 37-pixel resolution, with a see-through stereo display and Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) miniature projectors. Everything looks smooth thanks to its 120Hz frequency, and there's even dynamic display brightness and automatic tinting lenses for when you're outdoors.

You can also expect crisp spatial audio through its stereo speakers, and six microphones that could easily pick up my voice. Oh, and there's full hand tracking support, and Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth and GPS connectivity.

That's quite a lot to fit into a pair of smart glasses, and as you can see, it's exactly why they look quite chunky. Again, these Spectacles aren't aimed at consumers, as they're mainly to help developers create apps and programs for a more commercial product likely to come down the line.

Despite being thick and weighing 226g (6.4 ounces), they fit quite comfortably on my face, as the weight of the glasses were distributed throughout the body very well.

Shared vision

During the demo, Snap’s Director of Computer Vision Engineering Qi Pan handily walked me through how Snapchat Spectacles work, and it was impressively intuitive.

I was able to use my hands to navigate around menus with ease, pinching to scroll and selecting apps like I would when using a Meta Quest 3's hand-tracking feature. But more impressively, I could use the palm of my hand to press menu buttons. It's only a small thing, but having my hand used as its own form of haptic feedback feels natural, and it makes it easy to get to grips with it all.

Afterwards, I was thrown into the world of fuzzy creatures with Niantic's Peridot Executive Producer Alicia Berry guiding me along the way. Peridot is an AR-first game for smartphones, but it flourishes even more on AR glasses.

Almost reminiscent of my time playing (and not taking very good care of pets in) Tamagotchi, a Peridot (or Dot, for short) appeared right before my eyes and started galloping across the real-world room. I was able to go over to pet it, have a sandwich in hand while it waited for me to feed it and even play a few rounds of fetch with a frisbee (I'm sure it was annoyed I threw it out of reach many a time).

While this was a fun experience, it truly clicked was when Pan and Berry connected to my AR space and put their animals in my field of view. Here, I could do what I was already doing, but this time with their pets, and they could play, pet or feed with mine, too.

I could see this being great appeal for younger audiences, especially being able to interact with each other's Dots. But this could be taken outdoors, too, and I can see the fun that can be had walking the streets with a Peridot jumping into view.

Of course, there are limitations with the AR glasses right now, with battery life only lasting up to 45 minutes. That's not enough time for taking the glasses outdoors, or even using them indoors, but for a next-gen set of smart glasses from Snap, there are fun times to be had using Spectacles — especially with others.

Ideas you can (literally) handle

Powered by Snap OS, the Spectacles come packed with My AI, a multi-modal generative AI that you can speak to. While it's able to pull up web results and more, I got to try creating 3D images and see it appear in the real-world space.

Being whipped up via the onboard AI, I was asked to think of the craziest thing I could imagine. Showing my lack of improvisation, apparently the "craziest" thing I thought was a golden robot in a car. Imaginative, I know. Anyway, it only took a few seconds for a 3D image of a cartoon robot in a space car to pop up in the room.

However, like the Peridot multiplayer experience, Pan joined in and got to see my wild imagination in his view. But more impressively, he was able to interact with it, move it around and resize it to his liking.

That got me thinking about how a feature like this could be used in a collaborative workspace, whether it be at a school or an office. Sure, it's fun to have AI-generated 3D images similar to Apple's Image Playground for now, but at a larger, more complex scale, it can lead to more creative solutions that everyone can see at once and even interact with to make changes.

After the demo, I got talking to Pan about the features Snapchat expects to see from developers, and he told me that the possibilities are endless. For one, there's apparently a developer looking into interacting with smart appliances via the Spectacles, being able to turn on and off a light in a room by looking at it and using hand gestures to cause an action. Now that is pretty cool.

With those kinds of capabilities, along with sharing ideas thought up and manifested into AR via AI, there's a lot I'm looking forward to in these smart glasses.

Outlook

We've seen the latest Snapchat Spectacles in action before, but actually witnessing how it works myself changed my views on smart glasses in general. Down the line, I wouldn't be surprised to see myself rocking a pair of these specs — albeit with a much less blockier design, akin to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

Collaboration and sharing a space with other users appear to be the aim of the AR game, and if this is the trajectory that smart glasses are heading to, I'm more convinced that smart glasses will take off. That's what Snap's Spectacles are made for, and it's in the developers' hands to come out with a plethora of engaging features that will make smart glasses a sure-fire win for consumers.

Anyway, I'll be waiting for the next time I get the chance to show people more strange AI-generated images through AR glasses, perhaps even some action figures.

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• No, not Orion — Meta's first 'real' AR glasses tipped to debut in 2027
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So the Nintendo Switch 2 is set for a June 5 release, and it’s stacked with games I can see myself playing for hours on end (and spending a lot of money on).

But if there’s one downside I’ve experienced in my 30s playing handhelds, it’s the neck pain from looking down at the screen and playing.

And that’s why I’m such a fan of AR glasses — popping a 1080p picture right in front of your eyes to play without needing to crane your spine. It’s been a godsend for playing on some of the best handhelds like the Steam Deck, and they require a USB-C port with video out and DisplayPort Alt Mode.

The original Nintendo Switch used a proprietary protocol named “myDP,” which led to all kinds of bolt-on workarounds that were very unreliable. But with Switch 2, there’s a second port on top that does support Switch 2 accessories like the Switch Camera.

That makes me a little nervous, alongside the fact Nintendo has stayed quiet on this. All I can do is pray that it does support video out; otherwise my chiropractor is getting a lot more work over the next few years.

What do we know about the Switch 2 USB-C ports?

Let’s dip into the Switch 2's tech specs and figure out what we’re dealing with here.

So far, we know that the bottom USB-C port “is used to charge the console and connect to the Nintendo Switch 2 dock.” Meanwhile, that top socket “is used to connect accessories and/or charge the console.”

The word “accessories” is quite the coverall, but at the moment, we’re only talking about the Switch Camera for video chat and games. And so far, the only video output references are “output via HDMI connector in TV mode.”

Being real, that makes me worried. The original Switch’s problem was one that could be described as walled-off — the proprietary video out standard is completely different to literally every other handheld, monitor and pair of AR glasses on the planet.

What this meant is that you essentially had to trick the Switch into thinking it's running in docked mode. On the Xreal side of things, this requires the Beam, and the problems start to rise up fast with severe latency of the image passing through the encoder.

Pair that with the mountain of cables you need to make it, and it just becomes a lot more awkward to be worthwhile. And that is what worries me. Maybe we’re going right back to this.

Monopoly tricks?

But then again, maybe I’m looking at it the wrong way. Maybe Nintendo’s already thought of this. Maybe the company’s working on its own AR glasses that support this proprietary standard.

If that’s the case, I’d be even more worried. That kind of platform lock-in would just scream old-school Apple (and, let’s be real, new-school Apple too), and just laughs in the face of progress.

Now, I am aware of one very important thing here: this is not going to matter to a lot of people. Chances are many of you will enjoy that 1080p HDR LCD display and be done with it, and more power to you!

I realize that ranting about a singular socket makes me sound petty. And on top of that, the Switch 2 is still going to be a roaring success (hell, I’m going to be one of the millions feverishly trying to buy one).

But as the AR glasses guy here at Tom’s Guide towers, and someone who travels a lot, I need to raise the alarm. For all the love I have for Nintendo, the company has made some legendarily obtuse decisions. This USB-C port’s video out protocol could very well be one of them.

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As you probably already know, I love smart glasses. But I know the costs have always been a bit steep. However, as part of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale (or Spring Deal Days for people in the U.K.), there are massive discounts on the best AR and AI glasses you can buy.

These include $110 off the impressive Xreal Air 2 specs, £90 off the gorgeously premium Viture Pro XR glasses and much more.

Whether you need relief on long flights or a sneaky way to watch your show while your partner tries to get you into Love Island (don’t tell my fiancée), here are the best smart glasses deals in Amazon’s sBig Spring Sale.

Amazon Spring Sale smart glasses deals (US)

Amazon Spring Sale smart glasses deals (UK)

As Meta makes its push for mixed-reality products, it's now introduced its next-gen AR glasses for research — and they come with a new set of features like heart rate monitoring and a contact microphone to distinguish people's voices from your own.

In a blog post, Meta announced Aria Gen 2, a new pair of augmented reality glasses to enable researchers to explore machine perception and AI systems through a human perspective.

Following the first-gen Aria AR glasses, which debuted in 2020, the new device comes with a suite of upgrades and new features.

This includes an RGB camera, eye tracking cameras, spatial microphones and a barometer. There's hand tracking, too, along with a 6DOF SLAM camera that can track positions and orientation in a 3D space.

The Aria Gen 2 come with two new sensors embdded in the nosepad of the glasses: inluding a PPG sensor for measuring heart rate and a contact microphone to "distinguish the wearer’s voice from that of bystanders."

The glasses weigh 75 grams (2.6 ounces) and come with improved battery life, lasting around 6 to 8 hours. Plus, they come with open-ear force-canceling speakers for spatial audio features.

"They include a number of advances not found on any other device available today, and access to these breakthrough technologies will enable researchers to push the boundaries of what’s possible," Meta states in the post.

While the AR glasses are aimed at researchers to create open-source tools in wide use across academia and industry, they are being put to use to assist blind and low-vision individuals with indoor navigation, too.

In a video demo, a user walking around a store asks "help me pick up some apples." The glasses then direct the user to where the apples are placed, using sounds to navigate their surroundings.

While these aren't aimed at consumers, they may offer a glimpse of what may be coming down the line, seeing as Meta's first "real" AR glasses are tipped to debut in 2027.

The future of AR glasses is looking up

With the ability to measure heart rate, map surroundings to navigate users around and eye and hand tracking, Meta's Aria Gen 2 may have just given us a glimpse of the features we can expect in AR glasses down the line.

We've already seen what Ray-Ban Meta’s AI updates can offer, including more natural conversations and being able to recall previous objects you've viewed in real life, but the Aria Gen 2 glasses deliver a look at more features that can be included in everyday eyewear.

A heart rate monitor can lead to health-focused features, and onboard spatial audio can be used to guide users to specific destinations (like finding a lost item). The hand and eye tracking can navigate a user interface right on the glasses — like a near-eye display module on the Halliday smart glasses.

Moreover, with battery life lasting up to 8 hours, the Aria Gen 2 show good signs for more consumer-ready AR glasses.

With Android XR set to arrive soon in Samsung's Project Moohan headset, we're already seeing advancements in wearable AR tech. Plus, the Xreal One AR Glasses have set a new standard for what smart glasses can do. However, if Meta implements what we've seen with its new Aria Gen 2 spectacles in upcoming products down the line, it shows how far AR glasses can go.

The Meta Aria Gen 2 are set to be available to academic researchers over the next few months. If you're looking for a pair for yourself, however, check out the best smart glasses to get right now.

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The Apple Vision Pro hasn't exactly been a smash hit, but Apple is steadily improving its $3,500 spatial computer. And the new visionOS 2.4 update, which is coming in April, brings the biggest upgrades yet.

This includes Apple Intelligence, which is coming to Apple's headset for the first time. There's also a new Spatial Gallery app for checking out all sorts of 3D content, a new dedicated Vision Pro app for the iPhone and an improved guest experience for the Vision Pro that's a lot more seamless.

Here's everything new in visionOS 2.4 for the Vision Pro, which is now available in beta, and what's missing.

visionOS 2.4: Apple Intelligence comes to Vision Pro

It's been a long time coming, but visionOS 2.4 brings a wide range of Apple Intelligence features to the Vision Pro. Just don't expect the new and improved Siri.

With Writing Tools, you can be more productive with Apple's headset. They're available throughout the OS, so you can easily get help rewriting certain passages, proofreading, trying a different tone (friendly, professional, concise) and more.

I'm guessing people using their Macs with the Vision Pro will get the most out of this feature. At any time you can use your voice to describe the changes you want to make.

You can also get help composing content with ChatGPT, such as creating a quick Wicked movie watch party invite.

In addition, visionOS 2.4 lets you create Genmoji on the fly inside the Vision Pro (such as garlic ravioli) and you can leverage Image Playground for generating images in the Vision Pro's large canvas.

From there, you can easily add these images to your messages just by pressing the Plus button, and you can choose from various themes.

Just as with iOS 18, you can use visionOS 2.4 to create a Memory Movie, which should look pretty immersive in the Vision Pro when you view it in an Environment like Mount Hood.

Plus, you can search for images easily in the Vision Pro Photos app using natural language.

visionOS 2.4: New Spatial Gallery app

One of the best things about the Vision Pro is the ability to watch spatial 3D content. Yes, there's over 300 3D movie titles available, but you can also watch the spatial videos you've created through the headset or through your iPhone.

With visionOS 2.4, Apple will be rolling out a new Spatial Gallery app, which will include a curated collection of spatial photos and videos by Apple. So you'll be able to enjoy all sorts of content, such as sports, entertainment and travel.

For example, you can get a sneak peek behind the scenes of the Apple TV show 'Shrinking.'

visionOS 2.4: Apple Vision Pro app

If you own a Vision Pro, Apple will be making a new dedicated Apple Vision Pro app available through iOS to help you discover new content and get help tips and info.

The new Vision Pro app will show you the latest content and immersive videos, as well as the latest Vision Pro apps available in the App Store. And you'll be able to remotely download these experiences from your iPhone so they'll be ready to go the next time you put on your Vision Pro.

In addition, the Vision Pro app will show you new features coming to visionOS, offer support help and help you easily look up info like your serial number and Zeiss inserts code.

This app will automatically appear when you get your Vision Pro and set it up.

visionOS 2.4: New Guest user experience

Sharing your Vision Pro with someone else has been a time-consuming process, with the owner having to put the Vision Pro on and configure it before handing it over.

With visionOS 2.4, guest mode is much more streamlined. The guest user can just put it on and you can control what they can access using your unlocked iPhone. Just pick the apps you want them to see.

The best part is that AirPlay automatically kicks in so you can see what the guest is seeing through your iPhone.

Outlook

visionOS 2.4 doesn't have everything I hoped for. For example, the revamped Siri isn't here on the Vision Pro headset. It also would have been nice if Apple included Visual Intelligence so you could quickly look at something and get real-time info on it.

The Vision Pro also remains too expensive for most users, though I like that Apple has made it easier for guests to experience spatial computing for themselves.

Overall, visionOS 2.4 seems like a step in the right direction, especially when you pair it with the other improvements Apple has been making with each update like new gestures and offering over 2,500 Vision Pro apps.

Stay tuned for our hands-on impressions.

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Apple Vision Pro has just celebrated its first birthday, but it’s fair to say that the $3,500 AR headset hasn’t been the slam dunk that Apple executives would have liked it to be. Just two months after release, the company was reportedly slashing shipments in half due to a lack of demand, and internally there’s a worry that price isn’t the only problem with even early adopters using it less than anticipated.

Now Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has revealed plans for a major software update aimed at giving existing hardware a shot in the arm to boost sales. Gurman’s sources say these features could make up part of the visionOS 2.4 update that could arrive in beta this week, with a view to a full release in April.

The headline feature is the introduction of Apple Intelligence for the headset. Apple’s take on generative AI has previously only been available on recent iPhones, iPads and Macs, but with its M2 chipset and 16GB RAM, the existing Vision Pro hardware should be up to handling on-device processing.

That means that owners of Vision Pro are set to receive “standard features” such as the Writing Tools interface laced with ChatGPT, Gemoji and the Image Playground app. If there are unique Apple Intelligence features for Vision Pro in the works, they aren’t mentioned in the article.

Away from AI, Apple reportedly has another couple of tricks up its sleeve to drive interest in the headset. Firstly, a new app is reportedly on the way to view “spatial content tailored to the device, including 3D images and panoramas aggregated from outside sources”. There will also be an “immersive video” arriving on February 21 about arctic surfing, Gurman writes.

Finally, Apple plans to introduce a “revamped mode for guest users”, letting owners temporarily loan their devices to others. Not only will this make it easier for multi-user households (assuming they take the same optical inserts), but “the company believes such a process could help users excite their friends and family about the Vision Pro” which could potentially lead to sales.

Wishful thinking?

As solid as these additions all sound, that feels like a stretch. The biggest bar to mass adoption of Vision Pro has always been its sky-high pricing, with a single unit costing the same as seven Meta Quest 3 headsets.

While making Vision Pro easier to demo to interested friends and colleagues might generate a few more sales, it’s unlikely to be a serious game changer, and I’m dubious that the AI features will have much impact either.

Not only does it assume people are excited about Apple Intelligence more broadly — something that, anecdotally, I’m not really seeing outside of the tech press — but the features Gurman mentions are all just replicating what you can get on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

It’s safe to assume that any early adopters of Vision Pro are already deep in the Apple ecosystem, so will this really be that exciting? Or, to put it another way, why use ChatGPT to compose a document in Vision Pro when it’s easy enough to do on your Mac or iPhone?

Of course, this is likely just a first step, and there’s definitely potential for Vision Pro to do some truly amazing stuff with artificial intelligence. Its starting point, however, sounds pretty underwhelming from where I’m sitting.

But what else can Apple do? It has to try to boost Vision Pro sales somehow, and potentially interested consumers will ultimately be less likely to bite if it appears software updates are dwindling and the company is losing interest.

Nonetheless, it feels like the next big test for market appetite won’t come through new software, but hardware. From my perspective, a lot is riding on that cheaper model that’s reportedly in the works.

The future of Meta and its push for mixed-reality products to become the norm is hanging in the balance, as Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth claims 2025 will be Reality Lab's "most critical year" — and it could be all to do with Android XR.

In a leaked post spotted by Business Insider, Bosworth states Meta needs to focus on sales in its portfolio of products this year, especially in MR (mixed reality), if its long-term plans are to succeed. In fact, the CTO claims 2025 will be so crucial that it will determine if the company's efforts "will go down as the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure."

Bosworth also claims that "Horizon Worlds on mobile absolutely has to break out," despite fears of the metaverse never being viable. The leaked memo was sent to Meta employees, aiming to drive urgency to Meta's future plans. It's clearly a critical point for the company, as the CTO even says: "If you don't feel the weight of history on you then you aren't paying attention."

As noted in the post, Meta is set to launch six AI-powered wearables down the pipeline. This is likely referring to the company's rumored first "real" AR glasses in 2027, along with higher-end AR glasses similar to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses that could arrive this year.

Recently, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reported on the state of its AI smart glasses in a leaked all-hands meeting, with the company selling over one million units in 2024. While he states it's a "great start," it will still see an "intense year."

Meta has a big year ahead, and while it's seen plenty of success, including its Reality Labs division posting a record $1.08 billion in revenue, there's clearly more work to be done, seeing as the mixed-reality department saw a quarterly operating loss of $4.97 billion.

Has Android XR spooked Meta?

With the announcement of Android XR, Google's new operating system bringing Android to extended reality (XR) headsets, Meta is set to see fierce competition. Bosworth's comments appear to be signaling that Meta is at risk of losing dominance in the mixed-reality space, hence the apparent push to drive sales for its MR devices.

The first Android XR device, Samsung's Project Moohan, is set to arrive in 2025. We've seen what it's capable of thanks to a Project Moohan hands-on from YouTuber MKBHD, and while it's still in the prototype stage, it impressed with its Gemini AI features. That includes Gemini Live, Circle to Search and more.

There will be more Android XR devices coming down the line, and even Apple AR glasses using custom visionOS has been rumored. With the number of products expected to be in development from competitors, this may have made Meta nervous about its own lineup of devices.

Does this mean that Meta will stop making Quest headsets, smart glasses or mixed-reality devices if 2025 doesn't play out as planned? I doubt it, but if competition is tough, it may have to rethink what devices it will work on in the future.

However, if the past year is anything to go by, I'm not worried about the fate of Meta's plans.

Here's why I'm not worried

Meta may have had some bumps on the road, with its Meta Quest Pro being a fine example, but it's already seeing an uptick in its products, features and overall usability for the masses. And this has been reflected in what Bosworth claims:

"On paper 2024 was our most successful year to date but we aren't sitting around celebrating because know it isn't enough. We haven't actually made a dent in the world yet. The prize for good work is the opportunity to do great work."

Last year, the company made strides with what is possible on its Meta Quest VR headsets, and made it more accessible to everyone with its Meta Quest 3S. I went as far as to say that Meta Quest VR has seen its best year yet, and that's due to the added range of excellent games and apps that will make users want to keep putting on the headset.

From Batman: Arkham Shadow proving that exclusive VR games can shine to productivity apps that allow three virtual monitors on a Meta Quest when linked to a Windows 11 PC, Meta appears to be heading in the right direction. Plus, even James Cameron is getting in on the action with exclusive mixed reality content around live sports and concerts, feature films and TV series featuring big-name IPs.

Then there's the success of Ray-Ban Meta, being one of the best AI smart glasses around. With more AR wearables in the works, with the upcoming products looking promising thanks to our Meta Orion AR glasses hands-on, the company looks to be on the right track.

With rumors of a Meta Quest 4 and even a Meta Quest Pro successor coming up, I hope Meta's plans don't fall flat this year. If it continues to deliver and nail what makes people actually want to use a headset (and add more battery life), then its MR and AR devices should see themselves become the norm.

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Apple’s long and choppy journey toward releasing a commercially available set of AR glasses just hit another snag. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company has killed a second set of prototype smartglasses designed to connect directly to its Mac computers.

If that sounds like a somewhat limiting design, it wasn’t Apple’s first choice. The company initially wanted the iPhone to power it, Gurman writes, but engineers “ran into problems over how much processing power the handset could provide” and significant issues with battery drain.

Instead, engineers turned to the Mac, with its faster M processors and larger batteries or mains-connected design for the glasses (code-named N107). Perhaps unsurprisingly, given this limitation, “the Mac-connected product performed poorly during reviews with executives,” which caused this week’s cancellation. And it does sound like it would have had limited appeal, even among Mac users.

The glasses wouldn’t have been too far removed from Xreal One or Lenovo’s ThinkReality, according to Gurman’s sources. While it wouldn’t have Vision Pro’s virtual reality capabilities, it would lift one of the mixed reality headset’s most compelling features: the ability to project a giant virtual screen before the user’s eyes for a more immersive computing experience.

Without the bulk, strap and price tag of the full Vision Pro headset, this would be a more comfortable entry to what Apple likes to call Spatial Computing. The glasses reportedly had some neat ideas for real-world usage, like changing the tint of the lenses depending on what the wearer was doing to prevent unwanted interruptions from colleagues.

This latest disappointment may sound somewhat familiar, given the company was rumored to be abandoning AR glasses back in 2019 before delaying them ‘indefinitely’ back in 2023 (a version of the glasses that Gurman now refers to as “canceled” outright).

But despite these two failures, this isn’t necessarily the end of the road for Apple Glasses as a concept, and a report last week suggested that something is still on the map in the long run. Gurman states that Apple will continue to work on much of the underlying technology, including microLED screens, and while tethering to a Mac or iPhone isn’t ideal, the company does have success with products that supplement its other hardware, such as AirPods and the Apple Watch.

But augmented reality is significantly less proven than personal audio or smartwatches, and there’s a warning sign from Apple’s experience of Vision Pro which suggests that the company may ultimately fail to repeat its success elsewhere. That’s not so much in Vision Pro’s headset’s failure to become mainstream — which is to be expected given its $3,500 MSRP — but that the enthusiast early adopters who shelled out for the headset aren’t using their investment as much as expected, according to Gurman.

Tim Cook has a long history of hyping augmented reality as the future of computing, but it appears consumers will take more convincing. As seen through that lens, Apple’s fastidiousness in designing future AR hardware seems sensibly cautious: the next release could make or break the company's product category.

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Apple still looks to be in the augmented reality race, as a new report claims Cupertino is continuing to develop its long-rumored Apple Glasses — and a new version of visionOS may be coming with it.

As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (via Wccftech), Apple's AR glasses appear to still be in the works, albeit at a slow pace. Previous leaks indicate the upcoming smart glasses won't arrive until 2027, and this looks to be on track with the report stating they're still a few years away.

However, Apple is reportedly figuring out the best features to include in its AR glasses, with a custom version of visionOS tipped to be in development. We've seen this operating system used in the Apple Vision Pro headset, but considering the power of this headset, a new, lighter version of visonOS for AR glasses makes sense.

It isn't certain if these Apple AR glasses will be a stand-alone product or more of an accessory to an iPhone, similar to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Previous rumors indicate Apple Glasses would rely on an iPhone for processing power, but custom visionOS could mean the AR glasses may work independently.

As Gurman reported, the Apple AR glasses aim to bring information from a phone directly to your eyes, displaying texts, emails, maps and games to the user. Little is known about how a custom visionOS would work with AR glasses, but I imagine it would be similar to an iPhone-type interface with a splash of visionOS.

Of course, it isn't certain when we'll see a version of Apple Glasses or other AR products. Apple's roadmap is always changing, with the recent rumored MacBook Air OLED now reportedly being delayed until 2029. That said, there have been rumors of a cheaper version of the Vision Pro coming in 2025, which could be related to Apple's push for AR products. For now, we're still a few years away from seeing Apple Glasses, or a version of an AR-related product.

Apple will have stiff AR competition

While sales and popularity for its Apple Vision Pro headset didn't work out as expected, with its $3,500 asking price turning consumers off, the company still appears to be pushing to be a big player in the AR space. However, it will see a lot of competition.

Recently, we've heard of Meta making its first "real" AR glasses that are tipped to launch in 2027, along with higher-end Ray-Ban Meta-like AR glasses this year. We've already got a glimpse of how they would work with our Meta Orion AR glasses hands-on, and we were impressed by their design and function.

We'll also be seeing Andriod XR devices down the pipeline this year, including a new Samsung Project Moohan XR headset. This, along with the Xreal One Pro AR glasses that offer a 171-inch virtual screen with 1080p resolution, means Apple will have a lot of catching up to do if we only see its rumored AR glasses by 2027.

While we wait for more updates on Apple's AR glasses, check out the best AR and AI smart glasses you can grab right now.

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Meta is continuing to expand into the AR space after its successful Ray-Ban Meta glasses, as a new report states the company is looking into "real" AR glasses — codenamed "Artemis."

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman shared new details about Meta's upcoming plans, which includes a new augmented reality product that's set to debut in 2027. Artemis is slated to be an advanced version of the Orion AR glasses revealed last year, and they won't be as heavy.

The Orion prototypes shown off are a step towards true AR that would aim to replace smartphones, as it offers an AR interface that can be seen trhough the glasses, along with a small puck and wristband to control what's on display. However, as Gurman notes, while the Orion smart glasses may be offered to software developers in 2026, they will "never be released to customers."

That's where the Artemis AR glasses come in. These are set to consumer-ready AR glasses that are lighter and come with upgraded capabilities compared to Orion. It's still early days, seeing as the glasses are tipped to arrive in 2027, but Meta reportedly still needs to work out costs, displays and manufacturing.

While details on Artemis are scarce, Meta appears to be working more AR devices that will arrive much sooner

Meta's upgraded AR glasses

Meta has more plans down the pipeline. Along with introduing Ray-Ban Meta to new markets and offering new AR glasses in the form of Oakley's, which is aimed at cyclists and is based on the brand's Sphaera glasses, Meta is looking to launch higher-end AR glasses this year — based on the design of Ray-Ban Metas.

Codenamed "Hypernova," these glasses are expected to boast a display at the bottom-right lens that shows information to the user. This would include simple apps, notifications and photos taken on the device's camera. This is certainly similar to what Meta currently offers with the Ray-Ban Metas, but with the added bonus of an AR display.

What's more, Hypernova is tipped to come along with a wrist strap — codenamed "Ceres" — that will let users control the glasses. There are talks that this accessory would be shipped with the Hypernova AR glasses, but since the device is said to come with "touch controls on the frame's temple," this has yet to be decided. Plus, they may be pricey, with insiders stating they could cost around $1,000.

As for other devices rumored to arrive, Meta is looking into developing a smartwatch this year that can display photos taken by Meta smart glasses and earbuds with built-in cameras that would rival AirPods. The latter is in the prototype stage, with the cameras being able to see the immediate world and utilize AI. However, these aren't expected to arrive for a couple of years.

True AR is set to take off

With the success of its Meta Quest headsets and its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses being a favorite among many, Meta is already in a good spot in the AR space. Now, with further development of what AR glasses can do in a more wearable design, AR is shaping up to be a hot product in the coming years.

During our Meta Orion AR glasses hands-on, we were impressed by what was on offer, with our own Philip Michaels stating that these are AR glasses that he would actually want to wear — despite only being protoypes.

We've already seen next-gen AR glasses in action, with the Xreal One Pro AR glasses offering Micro-OLED displays and an Xreal Eye Camera that impress, along with a 171-inch virtual screen with 1080p resolution. We found even more promising smart glasses at CES 2025.

What Meta has up its sleeves for the coming years is still up in the air, but if it's along the lines of what we've already seen, then AR is truly set to take off. Of course, it would also have to compete with Android XR and the upcoming Samsung Project Moohan XR headset.

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Golf is a game where anything you can do to get an edge is welcomed. I'm not talking about cheating — though there's a new rangefinder in town that certainly feels like cheating. Instead, I'm referring to devices that help make practicing more effective.

When those practice tools combine with technology, you know I'll be first in line to see. And seeing is what I did with the CaddieVision AR glasses specifically designed for golfers. They're currently available on Indiegogo for pre-order, but at the PGA Show 2025 this week, I went hands (and eyes) on with a pair, and what I saw impressed me.

What does CaddieVision do?

CaddieVision has two primary purposes: to use augmented reality to keep you stable over the ball and to serve as an AR range finder with overlays of the course you're currently playing.

For now, that's all these glasses do — and that's not a bad thing. When I heard about this pair of AR golf glasses, I immediately pictured an overly cluttered interface that would try to do a million things while doing none of them well. That's not the reality of how these glasses performed when I tried them, so I think it's a better piece of tech.

I should also note that while these glasses are bigger than your run-of-the-mill prescription or sunglasses, they aren't massive, and after wearing them for 10 minutes, I didn't find them uncomfortable or too heavy.

Controlling the CaddieVision is done with taps and swipes on the arm of the glasses, and I found this worked well, like some of the best AR glasses, even on the early prototype version I wore.

CaddieVision shot mode

I spent the most time playing with shot mode and was impressed by its simplicity and overall usefulness. Like some of the best golf apps on Apple Watch, CaddieVision's shot mode offers precise distance to the center of the green and club recommendations. It also monitors whether your head moves back or forward in the swing and alerts you if it does. This can prevent you from chunking or topping shots, as the goal is to stay stable over the ball.

The glasses also show you where to put the ball in your stance based on the club you're using and how far to spread your feet, giving you the best possible chance of hitting a good shot.

Most importantly, for me at least, CaddieVision does this with a minimal interface that doesn't feel intrusive. There's the club in the corner, indicators for how far your legs should be apart and the location of the golf ball (which you line up with your actual golf ball before the shot to lock it in).

When you're over the ball, you line it up with the virtual ball in the display and tap the side of the glasses to let CaddieVision know you're ready to shoot. It was easy, though it would be cool if it locked in automatically as soon as you looked at the ball.

While testing, the glasses were set to a pro-level of sensitivity, so even the slightest head movement would trigger alerts. That's adjustable, so if you're not the best golfer (like me), you can lower the sensitivity to allow for some sway and head movement. (We're not all Tiger Woods or Scottie Scheffler.)

The only negative aspect of CaddieVision's shot mode is that it eliminates the ability to make excuses. You'll know your setup is good, but if you hit a bad shot, it's all on you.

CaddieVision rangefinder mode

I tested CaddieVision at a busy convention center, so I couldn't get a great feel for rangefinder mode, but I could see how it would look at a golf course, only without the course. Essentially, rangefinder mode overlays bunkers and the green into your vision and tells you how far they are from you. It provides front, back and center distances to determine which club will most likely get you there or carry the hazard.

While rangefinder mode looks cool, I'd need to take these to a golf course to better understand how much I like using this functionality. But if it works as well as shot mode — and it seemed to in my quick test in the convention center — I'm in.

Other CaddieVision features

CaddieVision's Indiegogo campaign also talks about some features coming down the road that are currently in various stages of development. None of these were on the prototype, so I haven't seen them for myself.

A lost ball mode (you know I need this in my life), hero shot, tele-caddie, caddie AI shot and instruction mode are on the roadmap for the future. Since I didn't test any of these, I can't speak to how well they'll work, but they sound like promising ways to upgrade the glasses in the future.

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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman released a massive PowerOn newsletter this week with several predictions on what Apple will do in 2025. Following the Apple Whisperer's report, Apple will have a huge year.

Amidst the reports of a loaded smart home push and updates to neglected Apple products like the iPhone SE 4, there was a small mention of Apple's AR/VR headset, the Apple Vision Pro.

According to Gurman, we shouldn't expect to see a new Vision Pro headset in 2025. However, he says a second-gen model will likely launch in 2026 with a new M5 chipset.

Previous reports have claimed that we'll first see the M5 chip in an updated iPad Pro this year, but not until the fall. Gurman's report does not indicate whether Apple will make any other changes. We agree that Apple can't just shove a new chip into the next version and expect success, especially given the lackluster response to the pricey headset.

Before the end of the year last year, CEO Tim Cook admitted that the Vision Pro is not a widely appealing product. Largely due to the high price. "At $3,500, it's not a mass-market product," said Cook. "Right now, it's an early-adopter product. People who want to have tomorrow's technology today—that's who it's for. Fortunately, there's enough people who are in that camp that it's exciting."

Interestingly, Gurman claims that Apple is "ramping up development" of a lower-cost version of the Vision Pro. This aligns with reports from December that Apple is working on a simpler "Apple Vision" headset that would allegedly cost closer to $2,000, which may not be enough to challenge the Meta Quest 3s or Samsung's new headset that is supposed to launch this year.

According to the newsletter, Apple is also working on other devices similar to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses and an AirPods "vision device with cameras."

Apple may be working on a set of Apple Glasses, but it may not launch until 2026 or 2027.

With smart glasses from Meta or the interesting Xreal One Pro AR becoming a more viable market, it's unclear how aggressive Apple is about developing its version.

Apple has been seemingly reluctant to dive into new form factors in recent years, even with the prohibitively expensive Vision Pro. Heck, we're still waiting for the much-rumored iPhone Flip, which also might launch in 2026 or later, much later.

Gurman did not provide timelines for any of these rumored devices.

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CES 2025 may be winding down, but the show isn’t over yet. Despite all the incredible news and product reveals from the first 3 days of the show, there are still some incredible new things to check out.

Some of them were worthy of a place on our Best of CES 2025 awards page, but they’re all too cool to be allowed to go unnoticed. We’re talking a mix of weird and wonderful gadgets combined with stuff that could prove genuinely useful in your everyday lives.

Oh, and a flying car concept that probably shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the average driver — myself included. Other entries on today’s list include smart glasses, an AI-powered anti-snoring pillow, an absurd 10-port USB charging hub, and so much more.

Here are the 7 best new gadgets from CES Day 4. And when you’re done, be sure to check out our round-ups of the best gadgets at CES day 1, day 2 and day 3.

Xreal One Pro AR glasses

The Xreal One AR glasses are an incredible pair of specs, and now the more premium Xreal One Pro AR glasses have debuted at CES 2025. Honestly, it’s unlike anything Tom’s Guide Managing Editor Jason England has ever seen before.

Benefits to the Pro model include more advanced display tech, with 0.55-inch micro-OLED display in front of your face and a more inconspicuous frame that isn’t quite as bulky.

On top of that Xreal has added a 12MP camera and the X1 chip – which should help enable spatial computing-style gestures at some point in the future. There’s also Bose audio and a premium construction that makes this one of the true MVPs of the smart glasses world.

They will cost $599 though, and while not Apple Vision Pro money it’s still a lot to have to pay

Xpeng Land Aircraft Carrier

We’ve been promised the dream of flying cars for years and many a tech show has been host to weird and wonderful designs. CES 2025 saw the Land Aircraft Carrier on show, showing off a Cybertruck-looking design that houses an eVTOL Air Module in the back. Think of it as a giant drone, capable of housing two people while it flies.

According to Xpeng, the company behind the machine, this will be the first mass-produced modular “flying car” and 3,000 intent orders have already been received.

Not that many people can afford the $300,00 price tag, nor is this really built for the daily commute. It’s an alternative to using a drone to look around, letting you go up to those heights in person.

AI Motion Pillow

Nothing quite wrecks the peace of a bedroom quite like a partner who snores — especially if they’re particularly loud. There are a bunch of ways to try and tackle the problem, but CES 2025 has a pretty novel solution.

The AI Motion Pillow is what the name suggests, a pillow that uses AI to try and reposition a sleeper’s head and open their airways to put an end to snoring. It's controlled by the AI Motion System, a white box that records a user’s sleep time and snoring.

The more you use the pillow, the more the system will be able to recognize when you’re snoring. Once that happens it will inflate air bags within the pillow to gently alter their head position.

The downside? This is available now, but the AI Motion pillow will cost $699. However the company is offering a limited time post-CES discount that drops it to $399. That’s still a lot to pay, but it might be a small price to pay for your partner to be able to get to sleep.

Nyqi Neural Earbuds

If you've ever wanted to control your smart home with your mind, rather than using your voice or an app, then you might want to check out Nyqi’s neural earbuds. The buds are able to read microgestures, letting you control different objects in ways you may not have thought possible. Clicking your jaw, moving your eyes and other similar motions.

That's also likely to be a huge accessibility benefit too. This could open up whole new ways for people to interact with technology, which could be a game change for people who can't easily interact with touchscreens or voice assistants. We don't have a price yet, but Nyqi neural earbuds should be available to buy within the next year or so.

MCON gaming controller

There are a bunch of great mobile game controllers out there right now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have more. Enter the MCON, a sliding controller that is a stark reminder of Sony's PSP Go – and the days when the PlayStation giant actually cared about handhelds.

The controller actually uses a magnetic puck, similar to MagSage, to snap onto an Android or iPhone to transform it into a gaming machine. Phones without their own magnets, which is most of them, will be able to connect with the included MagSafe adapter. There’s no physical connection either, with MCON connecting to your phone via Bluetooth – but still managing to offer low-latency gaming.

This is a Kickstarter product, though, which comes with all the usual risks of crowdfunding. But the Super Early Bird pledge should net you a controller for $99. Early Bird increases that to $119, while the standard price is $129.

TP-Link Deco Outdoor Mesh System

Wi-Fi is amazing, but it’s hardly the most stable signal. Mesh networks can fix a lot of the signal problems inside your home – but what about outside? Getting those signals outside the confines of your walls isn’t easy, and that’s where TP-Link’s Deco Outdoor mesh Wi-Fi system comes in. And with Wi-Fi speeds to boot.

Deco BE25-Outdoor and Deco BE65-Outdoor are both compatible with TP-Link’s existing mesh systems, and even have the ability to draw power over ethernet. The idea is that these nodes live outside and are IP65 rated to handle the elements.

Once connected to your network the BE!25 adds an extra 2,600 square feet of coverage while the BE!65 ups that to 3,000. They’re Wi-Fi 7 too, which means better speeds and lower latency.

Pricing and availability haven’t been confirmed yet, but if you’re tired of not being able to connect to your home network outside then they may be worth checking out.

Hyve Smart Home Security Locker

Porch pirates are a real problem, but Hyve’s new Bluetooth-enabled locker could help keep your deliveries safe from opportunistic thieves. One time codes allow delivery drivers to drop your package off, keeping it locked away until you get home to retrieve it. A sturdy design, braided steel anchor and motion-sending alarm ensures that it's much harder for thieves to try different ways to break in.

Other notable features include the photo portal window, which lets drivers take photos of your safely-stowed packages. The lock itself is papered by AA batteries, with a solar panel backup. Pricing starts at $299 for the unit, plus a $10 a momyh subscription.

Base Case

Working on the go isn’t ideal, especially if you’re a fan of having multiple screens like me. Portable monitors can offer some support, but they’re often pretty small. Thankfully the Base Case could be exactly what you need.

This mobile workstation is essentially a suitcase with two 24-inch monitors inside — alongside extra ports and pass-through charging abilities. This setup works with Windows and macOS, and all you need to do is plug in to get going.

Those ports include HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, Ethernet and USB-A, while telescopic legs add 10-inches of height. The downside is that it does weigh 10lbs/4.5kg, and it may get tiresome lugging it around after a while. Base Case is set to launch on Indiegogo next month.

Plugable PS-10CC

If you have a lot of gadgets that need charging, you’ll know the pain of trying to find enough USB ports to plug them all into. Plugable PS-10CC is a USB-C hub with a whopping 10 ports. Priority access is given to the left-hand port, but all those ports can share up to 100W of power at any given time.

That makes it the perfect place to recharge laptops, phones and whatever other gizmos you may have. The sleek metal design is also pretty attractive, and wouldn’t look out of place on any desk or table. The PS-10CC is available to pre-order now, for the reasonable price of $100.

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After testing them way back at CES 2025, the Xreal One Pros are finally ready for primetime. And spoiler alert: they are the best AR glasses you can buy right now, but there’s a catch.

The new Sony Micro-OLED display with a smaller prism optic provides incredible picture quality, which really brings the spatial features of that X1 chip into focus in a way the Xreal Ones couldn’t match. Seeing so much more of that simulated 32:9 ultrawide display with the expanded 57-degree field of view (FOV) is an incredible experience to have when on a long-haul flight.

Plus, you’re getting that same great wearability, premium design and Bose audio system from these other specs to make a great all-in-one device.

But that’s also the elephant in the room — the more affordable Xreal One brings a lot of the same to the table. The only difference is in the older bird bath display tech that brings a smaller 50-degree FOV (the typical chunky prisms behind the lenses over the smaller X Prism used in the Pros).

Don’t get me wrong, that is a marked upgrade, and this is the best display quality you can get on a pair of AR glasses today. From the smaller footprint leading to a more inconspicuous look on your face to a noticeably improved display with no reflections, it’s clear Xreal has delivered something better and more “pro.”

But is going pro worth an extra $150? That’s a tough one, and it comes down to your use cases and care for display quality. So let’s break it down:

• If you are a very enthusiastic user: Regularly on the go and using them at home in place of a monitor (yes, those people exist — you’re looking at one)? Then the One Pro is a stellar long-term investment.
• If you just want a really good display for portable use: You’re getting enough from the Xreal One here that the Pro price increase isn’t necessarily worthwhile for you.

Let’s get into it.

Xreal One Pro AR Glasses: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a pair of AR glasses — simply connect them to any device via USB-C and you can either extend or duplicate the device’s screen onto the specs for a great portable external monitor on the go.
• Who is it for? This is for those who are already well-versed in AR glasses and want to jump to the next generation.
• What does it cost? Currently, you can pick up a pair for pre-order pricing of $599, but as of July 1, that goes up to the MSRP of $649.
• What do we like? In terms of AR glasses you can buy right now, these have the best picture quality you can get. The redesigned optics and display prisms deliver supreme clarity, color and a wider field of view to really take your spatial computing and gaming to the next level.
• What don’t we like? The Xreal Eye shows promise for 6DoF, but at the moment, it’s just a pretty average camera. And that $649 price tag is going to sting when there are cheaper options out there.

Xreal One Pro AR Glasses: Specs

Xreal One Pro AR Glasses: The ups

“We are currently flying at 34,000 feet,” the pilot announced. I look around at my poor fellow passengers having to deal with their pitiful seatback entertainment screens, pop on my Xreal One Pros and go to a different world of entertainment and productivity.

New display. New future.

Instead of a beasty 0.68-inch bird bath prism lens offering a chunky piece of glass behind each lens, Xreal has compressed this all down into a vastly smaller flat prism design. But smaller actually means bigger here, as it can simulate a 171-inch display with a wider 57-degree field of view.

The difference is small on paper when you think about it (the Xreal One’s FoV comes damn close at 50 degrees).

But what this means is you could see a whole screen in front of you without needing to turn your head too much. Throw the 120Hz refresh rate and expert color calibration in, and you’ve got an uber smooth experience for any games you throw at it, and zero refresh rate flickering when you’re hard at work. And on top of that, any sign of fringing or edge blur is completely gone.

It’s clear this is the display tech that we’ll all be using going forward, and Xreal is making the most of it with the X1 silicon. The 3 Degrees of Freedom (DoF) tracking made possible here means I could very easily snap a 147-inch 32:9 ultrawide display onto the seat back for full immersion in my multi-tasking workload.

That’s right — even in one of the trickiest scenarios that is a flight, tracking an anchor point is a cinch on these! Of course, there are other modes here too like smooth follow and moving the display to the top corner, so I could talk to the flight attendant too.

Speaking of talking to the flight attendant…

Sneaky sleek

The only difference in design between these and the Xreal One is that the Pros are slightly heavier. In scenarios like long-haul flights, I’ve gotten used to the double takes wearing larger-than-life specs, but Xreal has done me good here with a sleek, subtle design that nobody bats an eyelid at.

Honestly, the flight attendant just said “nice glasses” after giving me a meal and moved on. That is a world’s first for AR glasses for me, and it speaks to how well disguised the prisms are here.

Also, shout-out to the electrochromic lenses being able to completely shut everything out, and the software IPD settings. There’s a hardware requirement for extreme circumstances, but for the vast majority of you, the customization on board is more than enough!

Xreal One Pro AR glasses: The downs

As the flight across the Atlantic and America towards California reached its end, I took a bite of my pretty terrible pizza pocket snack (American Airlines really needs to step its game up food-wise), and got to thinking about the limiting factors.

Feeling snap-happy?

You may have noticed in my pictures of the original Xreal One that there’s a small rubberized area on the nose area of the glasses. Turns out you can pop that out and add in the Xreal Eye Camera — a 12MP snapper that gives you some decent (but not great) pictures and 1080p video from a first-person perspective. The color balance is there, but the low-light performance is just not.

Plus, the lack of a battery means that while you can store the photos temporarily on the X1 chip itself, you’ll need to transfer them over to the device while plugged in for that session. Otherwise, they’ll be gone forever, which can be a laborious experience.

I know why this camera is here — it should open up Xreal’s next attempt to bring full 6 DoF tracking to its spatial computing experience. But since it’s not here yet, we can only tell you what you can do with it right now, and I’d say save yourself the money on this right now until this killer app comes.

$649 is a lot for most

This is definitely on the pricier side of AR glasses. There is the tech in there to make that price worth it — but provided only that you actually want to make the most of it.

While spatial computing capabilities move forward in AR specs, there’s still a majority of people who use these primarily as a glorified external display for the likes of their Steam Deck. For that purpose, there are cheaper options that will offer more than enough of the experience you want!

The AR glasses space is getting increasingly competitive, and there are the cheaper RayNeo Air 3s for a lower-end experience that’s just about good enough at half the price, the Viture Pros are getting discounted regularly, or the lower-end Xreal Ones give you all those spatial features but with an older screen.

Xreal One Pro AR Glasses: Verdict

And so, as I landed, I realized just how much of that 11-hour flight to LAX just melted away with the Xreal One Pros. Like I said, these are the best AR glasses you can buy, but to buy them, you’ve got to pay a big price.

It’s a generational leap forward in display tech combined with that X1 chip you know and love, Bose audio for strong volume and impressive definition, and a sleek, premium construction that feels great to wear for hours.

However, $649 is very hard to look past for what is essentially a glorified external monitor on your face. Not to say they aren’t capable of more — they are pretty much an advanced preview of Project Aura. But in their current state, this one’s for the well-versed pixel peepers only.

OK, we may have all gotten a little too excited about Spatial computing in 2024. I’ll certainly admit that I did. Whenever I catch a glimpse of the future of computing, I can’t help but get hyped — it’s why I love this job.

But when the cold light of reality hits, you start to realize that it’s not all it's cooked up to be. And you can see it in everything that’s happening. Meta has stuck rigidly to talking about having fun on its Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets with games and binge watching. Apple Vision Pro production has been cut and the Cupertino crew is reportedly working with Sony to bring PSVR 2 controller support for (yep, you guessed it) games.

So what is it going to take to make spatial computing a thing? Well, as the headline suggests, a lot more time is needed for this to cook. I still believe in the vision of spatial computing, but with a lot of companies trying to twist what it is, let’s make something clear up top.

What actually “is” spatial computing?

Everybody seems to be throwing this term around — from grand visions to small gains. Let me sum it all up in one simple sentence.

Spatial computing is to be able to get things done in a mixed reality space. That means not tethering to any other devices, and the app ecosystem and performance on-board to be productive.

When you keep that in mind, you realize just how we’re nowhere near that yet — not just in a technological sense, but people just aren’t that interested in working like this yet. And probably unintentionally, Google perfectly explained the reason why in its recent Android XR video reveal.

…Did you hear it? At the moment, devices that are capable of doing this are “episodic products.” It’s just too much of a pain to don a headset to get stuff done versus opening up a laptop to work.

Pair that with the sketchy reliability of trying to type in thin air and hand tracking, alongside the oversimplification of the UI needed for gesture control over the vastly more nuanced, detailed and complex interactions you can have with a computer, it can feel like spatial computing is trying to fix a problem no one had.

The “killer app”

In response, you’re seeing headset makers talk about spatial computing in a slightly different way. Now it’s more about projecting your computer screen on a larger external monitor in augmented reality.

Don’t get me wrong, the experience is great. But it’s not the full thing. Plus, if you were to do this using Apple hardware, you can easily be spending $5,000 for the whole effect. I’d call this version 0.5 of spatial computing, and the most cost-effective way to do it would be to pick up a pair of the best AR glasses like the Xreal One.

What CES 2025 can bring

And the explosive rise in smart glasses has made one thing clear — people want mixed reality hardware in something the size of a pair of specs. I predicted that an AR glasses revolution was coming to CES 2024, and will happily admit I was only half right.

The truth is we are moving towards this. There is display technology that doesn’t require the giant glass prisms in front of your eyes, Meta Orion showed device-free computing is possible, and Xreal’s Air 2 Ultra demonstrated hand-tracking within some specs.

But these all require workarounds that don’t put the computational power in the actual glasses. We’re still a few years off, but we will definitely be seeing glimpses of the next steps towards this.

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It's already been quite a year for AR glasses, and after a last-minute launch, we’re left with one question: should you buy the Xreal One or Viture Pro glasses?

These are two of the best smart glasses you can buy right now, and the competition is tight between the pair. Whether you’re a long haul traveler looking to play your Steam Deck without the neck pain of looking down at your screen, or someone who wants the best bits of spatial computing without paying $3,500 for the Apple Vision Pro, either the Xreal One or Viture Pro will serve you well.

But one pair has a slight edge over the other, and I’ll explain why by breaking down which specs reign supreme.

Xreal One vs Viture Pro: Specs

Xreal One vs Viture Pro: Design and comfort

When it comes to the way AR glasses are built, I always look for the perfect blend of two things: comfort and subtlety. There’s a lot of tech packed into these glasses, so you want them to be wearable for hours on end for long-distance trips, while also being low-key enough that you can put them on without drawing any attention.

Both Xreal One and Viture Pro do both of these well, but there’s some smaller differences at play here. First off, the sleeker, all-black front of the Xreal One with those impressively thin lenses do make it a more low-profile design than the Viture, while still being comfortable all throughout the flight test.

However, the Viture Pros are slightly lighter — it’s only by 0.2 ounces but that can make a difference on ear fatigue — and there are adjustable myopia control dials atop each lens, which the Xreals don’t have. But in exchange for this additional comfort, you do get glasses that are a little larger on the face.

Honestly, it’s a toss up between these here. Both are comfortable to wear, but the Viture Pros have more versatility at the cost of subtlety, whereas the Xreal Ones are more low key while being slightly heavier. It really depends on what you’re looking for here.

Winner: Draw

Xreal One vs Viture Pro: Picture and sound

When you see one Sony Micro-OLED display, it’s easy to feel like you’ve seen them all. Upgrades have been incremental over time while we work forward to achieve that dream of a fully immersive, wide field-of-view. And when it comes to Xreal and Viture, these two are incredibly close specs-wise.

They both sport similar prism display tech for an AR picture that is vivid with an impressive contrast ratio, but Xreal manages to do a little more with it — a slightly wider field-of-view at 50 degrees does reduce fringing around the edges of the screen, and it is capable of running a 147-inch screen over Viture’s 135-inch. While those differences aren’t the most noticeable, the numbers do fall in the One’s favor.

On the audio side, things become a little more straightforward. While I’d always point you toward a pair of headphones when out and about (as the sound can get easily lost on a plane), the Xreal One take a clear lead with a sound profile that is loud and clear with a surprisingly impressive amount of bass.

Winner: Xreal One

Xreal One vs Viture Pro: Features

Viture Pros follow a simple formula to the majority of AR glasses you can buy today. On their own, they are a glorified portable external monitor that you wear on your face. To unlock more of the AR features, you need another device to do all the heavy lifting — like the Nebula app on iOS and Android.

Xreal One does things a little differently. With the X1 chip, a lot of those AR features are built directly into the glasses themselves with on-board controls. That means whatever laptop you’re connected to, you’re no longer constrained to whatever software control you get. Instead, you can pop up a full-blown 32:9 ultra wide display on anything. On top of that, you can change color temperature, brightness and contrast all on the specs.

On top of that, X1 also unlocks 3 DoF tracking for a far more stable picture with anything that you look at. If you're in a particularly turbulent flight, your eyes will thank you for that.

There is more to this puzzle too, including the Xreal Beam Pro being your portal into spatial content vs the Nebula app — the former is a smoother experience but costs $200 and requires a separate device, whereas the latter is just a free download on your current device. On top of that, Viture does have a neckband computer coming soon, which will unlock more spatial computing capabilities.

But at the time of writing, for the better all-in-one experience, the choice clearly points to Xreal.

Winner: Xreal One

Xreal One vs Viture Pro: Which AR glasses should you buy?

The Xreal One and Viture Pro are the two best pairs of AR glasses you can buy right now. But there are certain elements that put Xreal out ahead to make them the winners here.

That’s not to say there aren't some elements where Viture tops Xreal. For example, the IPD adjustment dials on the Viture glasses give you more finite control over viewability, the Pros are slightly lighter, and the SpaceWalker app gives you the important parts of Beam Pro’s experience to your phone without needing to pay $200 for another device.

But for that X1 chip’s capabilities, stronger picture quality, better sound output and sleeker design, there’s nothing better on the market right now than the Xreal One.

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So the smoke has cleared on Android XR and Project Moohan — Samsung’s Apple Vision Pro competitor. While working through all the news around this new platform and mixed reality headset, I definitely caught the vibe that this is the start of something big.

Google is trying to figure out how to put Android on your face, and XR feels like a strong way to unlock virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality experiences that will work the same across whatever kind of hardware a company tries to make.

Google is trying to create a unified platform regardless of the device, which leans on the power of Gemini AI to pair personal context with the world around you to give you an augmented experience. But if I may be so bold, this starting point may be good, but a little tame. Vision Pro is indeed a breakthrough experience, but I’m a little cold on the headset itself.

Instead, I’m more excited to see what happens when Android XR comes to smart glasses — especially now that a partnership with Xreal has been announced. We’re a long ways off from it, but let me explain why.

The spatial potential is exciting

Yes, Google Glass may have been a dud, but Android XR is the result of “years of investment in AI, AR and VR” since this misstep to give you a software platform that is all things to different hardware types in the VR and AR space.

Tapping into Google’s services like Maps, Google Lens, Circle to Search and more, while infusing it with Gemini, this new OS platform spatializes all your key information and assistance to augment the world around you — from the full immersion of what Google calls an “episodic product” like a VR headset, to “all-day products” like glasses.

Details beyond this are sparse, but what we do see is that Project Moohan seems like it's got the Vision Pro in its sights, in terms of spatial computing capabilities — immersive TV content, multi-screen productivity and seeing family photos.

But the main issue I’ve always faced with the vision (pardon the pun) of bringing spatial computing to VR headsets is that whole “episodic product” thing. The capabilities are certainly there, and the Vision Pro does have the horsepower to do some big things. But taking price out of the equation for a second, the problem is that spatial computing just hasn’t got to a point where it can be faster to do something here than on your trusty laptop.

When you put them into glasses, however, that’s where I feel this software vision comes to life. Spatial computing focuses you too much on trying to replace a computer. Set your sights on introducing something for the post-smartphone world, and you can see how the voice control, gesture control and wearability of something like a pair of specs could be a very realistic vision for where Android XR goes.

I know I’m talking about something far in the future, and chances are a couple of people at Google may be panicking that I’m predicting the smartphone may be made redundant — one of the company’s biggest businesses. And currently, it’s clear that Google is looking at these as a device that plays nice with your phone. But that disconnection from a slab in your pocket is a very real possibility.

Hardware has some catching up to do

I predicted that an AR revolution was coming to CES 2024 — the beginning of the parallel lines of development between VR headsets and AR glasses starting to intersect to bring you VR capabilities in something the size of a pair of specs. This, in my mind, is what the real smart glasses will be.

Did it happen? …sort of. Xreal Air 2 Ultra did give you hand tracking in a pair of AR specs, but is still stuck in trying to pull developers onto its journey. And of course, Meta’s Project Orion has come closest to this intersection out of anyone, but it’s a prototype that we won’t be seeing come to fruition for a while.

I’m quietly confident that Android XR is the platform that will take us through to another era of smart glasses. So now, it’s onto the hardware makers to check off the following items on what I’m going to call my steps to smart glasses:

• Improve the display tech: Yes, Sony’s Micro-OLED panels are impressive for entertainment. But there are two big obstacles — the field of view (FoV) and the size of the prisms projecting that image making them a little too large on the face. Some sort of display directly on the lenses of the glasses themselves would drastically increase that FoV and eliminate the need for prisms altogether.
• Computation in the glasses: Unsurprisingly, the likes of the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 (the chipset currently in Samsung’s Project Moohan) is very much just for VR headsets. Movements are being made to put silicon directly into AR glasses, such as the X1 in Xreal One, but their purposes are limited. For computing itself, every single pair of smart glasses have to rely on a separate device. All that processing needs to be done on-device, to unlock the truest smart glasses.
• Battery: Speaking to Xreal, this seems to be the biggest challenge. APUs can be made small enough to fit into a pair of glasses, but getting enough battery in there to run everything without overwhelming the dimensions and weight is very tricky. And it can’t be a separate battery pack you put in your pocket — we all know how frustrating that can be. So some sort of layered battery structure in the arms of the glasses seems to be the way to go.

Once any company that makes AR glasses nails these three, that’s the moment we can start to ask that important question: “what comes next after the smartphone?”

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Let’s be real here. Spatial computing hasn’t really taken off. Some were expecting the Apple Vision Pro to be a tectonic shift, but we’re definitely not there yet. Instead, we’ve seen smart glasses lead the charge, and the $499 Xreal One is the new pack leader — the best AR glasses you can buy right now.

Sorry for the spoiler alert, but stick around and let me explain why. It’s not just the quality of the experience with its improved display tech and overhauled audio production (courtesy of Bose); it’s the onboard X1 chip that brings it all together.

To many, AR glasses have basically become a glorified external monitor that you put on your face, which is the best for playing Steam Deck or using the Xreal Beam Pro on long journeys.

But putting all the capabilities on board with this chip makes it simpler to tweak and unlock this experience for everyone — giving you a gigantic 32:9 ultra-wide display wherever you go, and future-proofing wherever spatial computing goes with 3 depth-of-field (DOF) support.

And all of this comes in a pair of glasses that are heavier than its older siblings the Xreal Air 2, but are noticeably smaller, thinner and impressively comfortable to wear over longer periods of time. Put it all together, and you’re easily looking at the best of this category right here.

Xreal One AR glasses: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a pair of AR glasses — connect them to any device via USB-C and you can duplicate or extend the device’s screen onto the display in the specs.
• Who is it for? This is for those who have seen the light on AR glasses and want to take things to the next level.
• What does it cost? The Xreal One costs $499 whereas the One Pro comes in at $599. The main difference here is the larger (and newer) Sony Micro-OLED display tech and Optic Engine affording a 57-degree field of view on the Pro vs a 50-degree on the One.
• What do we like? Putting a custom spatial computing chip directly into the Xreal One glasses forms a bit of a breakthrough when it comes to using AR glasses for productivity. The picture is crystal clear with great audio and is adjustable to your tastes with a 32:9 ultrawide option, and latency is non-existent. Even better? These specs are super sleek to the point you can get away with wearing them in public.
• What don’t we like? The weight is a little heftier than the previous Air 2 specs, which can be felt ever so slightly on the tops of your ears. But the main obstacle for now is that field of view. Granted, at up to 57 degrees, it’s the widest field of view we’ve seen in AR glasses, but that’s still a significant cut-off in your peripheral vision.

Xreal One AR glasses: Specs

Xreal One AR glasses: The ups

Putting the Xreal Ones on your face and witnessing the capabilities of these glasses will make you see how these are the next generation of AR glasses.

A portable entertainment powerhouse

With every new pair of AR glasses, I’ve been seeing the Micro-OLED display prism tech get better and better. The Xreal One keeps this trend going strong with easily the best screens you’ll utilize this close to your peepers.

On top of that, Bose joins the party to engineer the on-board speakers. With all AR glasses in the past, if I’m in a clutch moment with my MacBook and no headphones, I’ve always opted for the laptop speakers as the tinny tweeters of any specs have been a bit mid.

Combined with the audio production on board the Ones, impressive balance between deep bass and shining higher tones thanks to that Bose tuning, you’ve got a banger of an ultraportable entertainment system. It’s perfect for minimizing the neck pain of looking down at your Steam Deck when on a long-haul flight.

X1 gon’ give it to ya

The biggest change here is that Xreal has packed its own custom silicon into here — a spatial computing chip known as X1. While this does open up a world of future possibilities for the specs, I’m concerned about the here and now. And when it comes to what you get from it right now, the results are seriously impressive in three key areas.

Many of the things you had to do through software (such as the ultrawide monitor support using Xreal’s Nebula app) are now handled entirely on the device itself. This vastly expands compatibility and versatility of when you can use this tech to whip out a frankly massive 147-inch 32:9 ultrawide display wherever you are, and the computer’s OS will react accordingly. You’ve even got on-device menus to control the color, brightness and size of the screen.

Second, there’s the 3 Degrees of Freedom (DOF) tracking. When it comes to the tracking of a picture in either that anchored position or smoothly following your head movements, this is all dealt with on the device you’re using via software. Now, it’s all offloaded to the Ones, and with that deep integration, the tracking is much better. Even on flights, the picture is pinned rock solid in front of you and doesn’t drift whatsoever.

Finally, and most importantly, the latency is drastically reduced thanks to the interplay between the laptop and offloading display signal processing to X1. This has meant that in games requiring fast reactions, I didn’t feel one iota of lag between my inputs and in-game actions. At 3ms, I’d be surprised if you felt it too — to the point that I’ve been sim-racing wearing these glasses.

Speaking of looking ahead, this chip looks primed to unlock more depth-of-field interactions with the optional extra Xreal Eye camera. But as of right now, there’s a lot of goodness coming from this silicon.

More inconspicuous than ever

And Xreal’s managed to do all this while improving the subtlety of the Ones. One thing I’ve always gone back to is that while AR glasses are definitely a lot more subtle than wearing a full-blown VR headset, they do look a little larger than life. Nothing that’s entirely noticeable at first, but on a second glance, people may think you’re wearing a pair of spy glasses you got from the Scholastic book fair.

However, these are legitimately the first glasses I think you can get away with not drawing additional looks — I should know, as I’ve worn them everywhere. The aesthetic is rather stylish, the lenses and prisms themselves are smaller and thinner, which aids a more low-profile look.

Plus, while you can feel the additional extra grams on the bridge of your ears, the improved nose cushioning means you can comfortably wear these for hours and hours on end.

Xreal One AR glasses: The downs

With the acknowledgement that we’re a few years away from AR glasses becoming the equivalent of VR headsets (meaning we shouldn’t expect full-blown tracking or wireless connectivity with a built-in battery any time soon), there’s really only one obstacle that Xreal needs to work on.

Tunnel vision

This is probably on me for getting too excited about the prism Micro-OLED display tech over the past year. The 50-degree field of view can still feel a little constrained — especially if you are using the massive ultra-wide display.

What is directly in front of you looks amazing, but the lack of that peripheral vision you get from the far wider display of a VR headset does break the immersion. In talking to a lot of people high up in the likes of Xreal, RayNeo and Viture, getting anything remotely close to the 110 degrees of Meta Quest 3 is a long way off.

Of course, this whole field is a balance of ups and downs. For Xreal One, you get a small, sleek pair of specs that feel great on your face but have that restrained display. I can imagine this being a more favorable experience over a VR headset that can be heavy on the face but give you an uninterrupted spatial experience. However, it’s definitely something to keep in mind!

Xreal One AR glasses: Verdict

So far, spatial computing hasn’t really taken off. But it’s become increasingly clear that the Xreal One is the next step towards this vision, and it all comes down to that X1 chip.

Because sure — the improvements are smaller elsewhere, from the slightly improved display tech to the Bose-engineered sound space that makes these an entertainment powerhouse. But the spatial capabilities are the real secret sauce here.

By bringing all the processing on-device, Apple Vision Pro’s killer app is even more killer on a pair of specs with a noticeably improved latency time, versatile on-board spatial options, expanded compatibility, and a future-proofed platform for depth of field hand interactions.

The only real limiter here now is that field of view, but a resolution is still a few years off and Xreal has worked around this in the on-glasses software giving you a chance to move the screen further away.

Meta's Orion AR glasses may still be in the prototype stage, but they've already managed to pull off something few other mixed reality headgear devices have been able to do. This is the first time in a long time that I've slipped on this kind of device and didn't start the mental countdown on how long it would be before I could take it off.

Spatial computing headsets may be the future, but if so, it's a future full of devices that I do not like to wear. As a rule I find headsets uncomfortable — even the few that aren't too heavy on my head make me sweat around the strap on the back and the viewfinder up front. I also don't care for the sensation of feeling cut off from the world around me, even on visors with pass-through capabilities. AR and VR glasses certainly don't feel as heavy, but they can still feel hot the longer I wear them, and they tend to slide down my nose at inopportune times. It's just not a fun experience no matter the device.

But the Meta Orion glasses didn't pose these problems at all during a recent hands-on demo I experienced at Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California. The prototype I wore felt fairly lightweight and certainly didn't heat up as my 20-minute demo went on. I could always see and hear the world around me, without my peripheral vision getting cut off. Even better, the glasses didn't slide down my face, keeping the AR visuals right in front of me at all times.

That's encouraging since Meta would be the first to tell you that the version of the Orion glasses that I wore isn't quite ready for prime time. The glasses themselves are still pretty thick — not Buddy Holly-thick like the Snap Spectacles AR glasses I tried out last month, but still bulky enough to make people think you'd been cast in a "Revenge of the Nerds" reboot if you wore them in public. Among other improvements, Meta wants to slim down the form factor before its AR glasses launch commercially.

"For all of this to work well, it really has to be socially acceptable," said Ming Hua, Meta's vice president of wearable device. "You feel comfortable wearing the glasses all day long, with your friends and also when you're going out and about."

That's a ways down the road, though not that far off as you might think. (Meta has merely said that a shipping version will be ready in "the near future.") And while the company works on perfecting the design of the glasses, improving the display and bringing the cost down to what you'd spend on a high-end smartphone, Meta can at least take comfort in knowing that it's already accomplished a much tricker task — it's actually come up with some compelling uses cases for AR glasses.

Meet Orion

The world got its first look at the Orion AR glasses during an introduction at September's Meta Connect conference. What we saw at that time was the culmination of five years of work in a which a series of ridiculous oversized prototypes gradually got shrunken down into the current Orion setup — a pair of glasses that connects wirelessly to a small puck and a wristband that's used to help navigate through the AR interface. (More on those controls in a bit.)

Instead of glass, Meta uses silicon carbide for Orion's lenses. The lightweight material reduces optical artifacts and also provides a high refractive index, which Meta says is necessary for a wide field of view. The Orion glasses boast around a 70-degree field of view, which felt a lot less cramped than other mixed reality eye glasses that I've used where images often get cut off.

For instance, when I had a video chat via the Messenger app on my Orion glasses, I could see a full-screen view of the person I was conversing with, as easily as if the chat were taking place on a phone or computer screen. The big difference is that with the glasses, the conversation took place right in front of me, making it feel more immersive than your typical video chat on a flat display.

There's another nice effect to the silicon carbide lenses. While people looking at me might see some bluish-purple streaking on the lenses from the AR images appearing before me, they can still see my eyes, instead of an opaque screen — or worse, a digital recreation of my eyeballs. It should allow more natural interactions with anyone sporting a pair of Orion glasses.

The glass frames are made out magnesium — a material that's rigid as well as lightweight. Hua tells me the rigidity is importnat to prevent any misalignment between the two display engines on the glasses. Magnesium also helps with heat dissipation, which is one of the things that helps the glasses feel to comfortable on my head even after prolonged periods.

And that's important because there's a lot of components hidden in the frames of those glasses. Besides uLED projectors — they're very small and power efficient — you've got multiple custom chips and seven cameras embedded in the frame.

"We roughly need to reduce the power consumption for each of those operations to, like, a tenth of what's in the form," Hua said.

The processors on borad the glasses are handling things like simultaneous location and mapping, eye tracking, hand tracking and AR world-locking graphics algorithms, while the elongated puck uses dual processors to take care of apps. The puck also manages low-latency graphics rendering AI tasks.

The glasses and puck connect wirelessly, and they don't need to be right next to each other. Meta says you can slip the puck into a backpack as you're using the glasses without having to worry about a loss of connectivity. During my demos, I never needed to carry around the puck as I was using the glasses.

At this stage the puck has enough battery power to get through a day, while the glasses are good for three to four hours of use, depending on what kind of activities you're engaging in.

Controlling the Meta Orion glasses

There's no input device for Orion other than the gaze of your eyes and the fingers on your hand, though that wristband I mentioned earlier is there to help with controls. It's an electromyography, or EMG, wristband and it senses the electrical signals of your muscle movements, beaming that gesture to the glasses.

"When you're making gestures, your brain is sending electric signals to the hand," Hua said. "So we use sensors... to capture the voltage change when you're making gestures."

The idea behind the wristband is that you can keep your hand at your side, making subtle gestures to control the glasses instead of waving your hands in your field of view and attracting the stares of curious onlookers. Did that stop me from raising my hand into my field of view and making those gestures anyhow? It did not, but perhaps with more practice I'd get used to keeping my hand out of sight while working the controls.

The wristband fit snugly but comfortably on my arm, and I really took no notice of it while using the Orion glasses. That's significant since I hate having anything strapped to my wrist — I won't even wear a smartwatch for this reason — so the fact that I could don Meta's EMG band without a whimper of complaint implies that the company's done a pretty good job at making it feel light and natural.

The gesture controls are pretty natural, too. You pinch with your index finger and thumb to select things, with your eyes acting as a sort of cursor, as the glasses detect what button your looking at. A middle finger/thumb pinch takes you to the app launcher, and repeating that gesture hides the same control. Make a fist and flick your thumb forward and back when you want to scroll through something like an Instagram Reel. There was a brief tutorial at the start of my demo session to acquaint me with those controls, but the fact that Meta has kept things so simple makes it easy to retain what it is your supposed to be doing to find your way around Orion's menus.

It's ideal that the controls require nothing more than hand gestures and a steady gaze, as the big appeal of the Orion glasses is the ability to use them hands free. That's what struck me during a cooking demo meant to showcase the image recognition features of the glasses by having Orion identify different ingredients and whip up something incorporating those same ingredients.

That's all well and good, but as someone who does a lot of cooking and has to refer back to recipes from time to time, I appreciate having the instructions floating in front of my vision, while I use my hands to scroll forward and scroll back. That can be problematic if you're spatchcocking a chicken, for example, and you've got to then touch your iPad screen to advance to the next step. With Orion, you won't have to wash off those chicken-covered hands — just flick your thumb forward, and keep cooking.

Augmented worlds you can share

If there's something I dislike about headsets and glasses almost as much as their comfort level — or lack thereof — it's how they cut me off from the rest of the world. Just as the Orion glasses proved to be surprisingly comfortable, they also raise the possibility of a more collaborative experience with AR.

One of Meta's demos allowed me to play pong with another Orion glass-wearing participant. We stood a few feet apart, sending a virtual ball ricocheting back and forth by moving our paddles up and down or left and right. It was certainly a fun way to pass the time, but it also illustrates how those augmented images appearing in front of you don't have to be for just you alone.

To be fair, the Snap Spectacles also featured a collaborative demo involving finger painting when I tried out those AR glasses prior to my Orion test drive. But I don't think it's unfair to Snap to say that the fifth generation of its smart glasses aren't as far along, graphics-wise, as Orion is at this point. And the wider field of view for the Orion glasses makes collaboration and cooperation a little bit easier.

This fits in with Meta's overall hope for Orion, as it wants its AR glasses to be the successor to the smartphone as the device we use to interact with the world around us. "We're hoping to make it so that with glasses, a lot of what you're doing today with your phone, like checking messages, notifications, making a phone call, can be more seamless and hands free," Hua said.

Certainly, that makes sense on some levels. Use a phone, and your gaze is locked on a screen, limiting your ability to be a part of what's happening around you. AR glasses let things unfold in front of you — and Meta argues that its approach would let you still see your surroundings and remain a part of conversations and interaction with the world around you.

But not every demo I saw made me ready to trade in my phone for a pair of souped-up specs. To show off Orion's multitasking capabilities where I was watching Instagram Reels when a message came in. I switched over the Messages app and fielded a video call, with all three panels appearing relatively clearly in front of me.

The demo's supposed to showcase not only the wide field of view on the Orion glasses, but also how you can use the glasses to multitask. To me, however, it felt a built overwhelming. I get the same feeling when Apple shows off all the floating workspaces that can hover around your head when you're wearing a Vision Pro headset. Maybe some people find that convenient, but to me it's just a reminder of my ever expanding to-do list, only floating directly in my face. Less of that, please.

Meta Orion AR Glasses: What's next

It'll be some time before Orion glasses are ready to be worn out in the field by civilians like you and me. Meta is showing off the glasses at this point so that the company's devices team can get feedback from both Meta employees and external partners on what features to develop and which functions to leave on the cutting room floor. I'd also wager that app makers are getting a chance to build AR versions of their apps optimized for Orion so that there will be plenty of options ready to run once the glasses do hit the market.

I don't know how long it will Meta to improve the Orion displays and shrink down the form factor of the current version, but judging by the progress that the company has made evolving from prototype to prototype, it may not be all that long. As recently as 2019, Meta's stab at holographic AR glasses featured a backback and a headset that looked like you were about to perform some heavy welding.

Meta's desire to get the glasses to the same price level as a high-end phone may be a tougher roadblock. Assuming we're talking about conventional phones, that would be in the $1,199 to $1,299 range of the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra; your top foldable phones are in the neighborhood of $1,799 to $1,899. I haven't priced components for smart glasses lately, but given the kind of tech Meta is packing into the Orion specs, I imagine it's going to be a challenge getting to that range.

But — and I never thought I'd be saying about any kind of AR product — I hope Meta gets there. The Orion glasses in their current form hold a lot of promise — not just for fit, but for functionality as well.

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