Interest in the AR smart glasses trend will grow again in 2024. New vendors and existing XR innovators are exploring this growing market.
Event and industry experts are paying attention to the growing power of AR, and expectations are growing.
Interest in virtual and mixed reality headsets in business environments has grown rapidly over the past few years, but AR is making a comeback. Currently, numerous vendors, including companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Apple, are all generating renewed interest in AR specifications.
As the landscape evolves, certain trends are beginning to emerge that highlight the potential direction of the smart spec industry. If you’re investing in augmented reality smart glasses this year, here are a few trends worth keeping an eye on:
1. Smart glasses design moves into a new era
In the early days of the AR smart glasses revolution, immersive specifications suffered from a number of design issues. Products like Google Glass looked “geeky” and were uncomfortable to wear. Even some of the most advanced specifications failed to meet design expectations. But since then, the materials and frameworks companies use to create AR specifications have evolved.
We are moving into an era where smart glasses are much lighter, more comfortable, and ideal for long-term use. Advances in resolution and viewing angle options improve visual clarity, and consumers can also choose between monocular and binocular specifications.
Some companies are investing in ways to make smart glasses more stylish. Meta has partnered with Ray-Ban for an updated selection of smart glasses, and other suppliers are also giving users the option to choose from a variety of frame styles and colors.
2. AR technology develops further
The design-connected AR smart glasses trend doesn’t just focus on ergonomics, comfort, and aesthetic appeal. Over the past few years, the technology used to create AR experiences has also become more advanced. We now have more effective screens and displays that can deliver high-quality visual experiences. Software is becoming more effective at connecting the physical and digital worlds, leading to the rise of AR/MR experiences.
Companies are experimenting with new speaker systems for spatial sound and introducing additional accessories for XR experiences, such as immersive gloves. There are far more advanced chips on the XR market that can process computer data and stream content faster than ever before.
Additionally, more flexible AR technologies are emerging, with specifications designed to work seamlessly with the tools businesses already use for collaboration, design, and remote support. Additionally, hand and eye tracking technology paves the way for a more intuitive user experience.
3. AI leads the AR smart glasses trend
AI and extended reality are often used together. For years, XR vendors have been using artificial intelligence to improve the performance of AR specifications, improve user experience, and bridge the gap between the real world and digital content. AI models excel at scanning rooms and faces, mapping spaces, and interpreting data. But by 2024, innovations in AI are driving a new trend of AR smart glasses.
Computer vision technology means AR is now better than ever at constructing realistic human models and object scans, detecting and labeling objects, and even recognizing and translating text. Natural language processing means companies can build AI assistants into smart glasses to help users control the technology with just their voice.
At the same time, generative AI is helping create more immersive and engaging AI experiences. Generative AI solutions can also help businesses write code for AR apps and platforms, design 3D content, and produce original music for apps.
4. The rise of spatial computing
One of the things that has prevented companies from investing in AR specifications in the past is that many systems were not intuitive to use. Some existing AR glasses required users to access a tablet or smartphone to control content. This ruined the “hands-free” experience users were looking for.
Fortunately, innovations in spatial computing are driving a new trend of AR smart glasses focused on user experience. Spatial computing technologies are paving the way for more organic technology experiences by allowing users to interact with content using natural movements and gestures.
Spatial computing technology will drive the development of the next generation of AR smart glasses that offer similar features to the Apple Vision Pro or the latest XReal Air 2 Ultra specifications. This may also help businesses increase adoption of AR technology.
5. New use cases for AR smart glasses emerge
Like most technologies in the extended reality environment, AR smart glasses have been evolving over the past few years. Once considered a new consumer product, these glasses are quickly becoming a mainstream part of the workforce for many across multiple industries.
With the advent of remote assistance technologies, AR glasses have become more attractive to field workers, engineers, and technicians who need to maintain access to team members and data while on the go. The evolution of educational environments has introduced AR glasses as a powerful solution for workforce training, development, and onboarding.
There is also an opportunity to combine AR glasses with the customer service experience provided by Metaverse. AR glasses allow companies to provide customers with a pre-purchase experience, customize products before purchase, and more.
6. More customization of AR smart glasses trend
We’ve mentioned how companies in the AR glasses industry are giving customers more freedom to customize their eyewear styles with new frames. However, customization options will continue to grow in the future. Suppliers produce unique solutions for people who wear prescription glasses and professional specifications for industrial environments.
Companies in the AR software space are allowing organizations to build unique “Metaverse-as-a-Service” experiences for AR glasses. For example, there are countless no-code and low-code platforms that allow users to design their own remote support and training platforms.
Enterprise-focused companies are also giving brands more control over their security strategies with solutions for biometric user authentication, privacy-by-design software, and specifications that align with GDPR and HIPAA guidelines.
Explore AR smart glasses trends
The AR smart glasses market is explosively attracting attention again in 2024. AR can be an ideal solution for businesses looking to improve productivity and creativity through immersive technology. If you’re investing in AR glasses this year, consider the trends above when choosing the cutting edge technology.