Xreal, an Alibaba-backed firm, has launched its next-generation AR glasses called Xreal One Series as an attempt to strengthen its stand in the growing AR market. The new product has hit the market as the tech giants, including Meta and Snap, have taken substantial ground in AR technology as well. 

Among other key highlights is that the Xreal One Series integrates the X1 chip-the company’s first self-designed processor for its glasses. This chip represents a critical upgrade, improving the capability of the product and ending the requirement for a companion device such as the Beam required in previous generations. With the newly introduced chip, users can now connect their glasses directly to devices such as a smartphone, laptop, or gaming console and experience content on a large virtual screen. 

Chi Xu, CEO of Xreal, said that this X1 chip is a significant upgrade for the company and the entire AR glasses industry. He called it the biggest upgrade in Xreal history and described it as a new benchmark for consumer AR glasses. Xu also pointed out that the chip had been developed for three years to drive the limits of what is possible with AR glasses. 

Xreal is taking a different tack than companies like Meta and Apple, which are focusing on large, immersive headsets, like the Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro. Xreal, meanwhile, is betting on the compact, lightweight form factor of glasses, which Xu believes will be the key to mass-market adoption of AR technology. While large headsets have proven very expensive and clumsy, AR glasses are the practical solution, but there’s still the challenge of delivering that kind of experience in a very small form. 

The Xreal One Series is priced at $499 for the standard model and at $599 for the Pro version. However, the company continues to face challenges that are related to a lack of compelling content and use cases for AR glasses. Xu admitted that while the technology is advancing, the ecosystem still needs to develop further in order to attract both developers and consumers. He has strong confidence that, with powerful hardware, Xreal can stimulate content creation and drive adoption. 

Looking ahead, Xu forecasts that the company will sell 500,000 units of its AR glasses in 2025, doubling the sales from this year. Competition is picking up, but Xreal is positioning itself as one of the key players in the future AR landscape, and it still has a lot of room for improvement in product offerings with an alternative headsets concept.