Smart Glasses Shipments Surge 83% in Q1 2026 — Market on Track for 10 Million Units as Samsung and Google Join Meta

Global smart glasses shipments grew 83% year-over-year in Q1 2026, according to new data from Counterpoint Research — and the category is now on pace to blow past 10 million units shipped for the full year.

The Numbers

• Display-less smart glasses (audio and camera-only, like Ray-Ban Meta) grew fastest at 210% year-over-year
• AR/display glasses grew 136% year-over-year, a smaller but still substantial base
• This follows a 139% YoY surge in H2 2025, when AI-enabled smart glasses accounted for 88% of total shipments in the category
• Average selling price (ASP) rose from $347 to $360 during H2 2025, suggesting buyers are trading up rather than the market being driven purely by budget devices

Meta{"'"}s Dominant — For Now

Meta currently controls roughly 82% market share, driven by the Ray-Ban Meta lineup and sport-focused models like the Oakley Meta HSTN and Vanguard. That dominance is about to be tested: Samsung Galaxy Glasses and Google-partnered devices are both expected to ship this fall, and Meta itself is expected to unveil the next-gen Ray-Ban Gen 3 at Meta Connect on September 23.

What This Means for Buyers

More competition typically means faster iteration and better pricing. With Samsung, Google, and Meta all shipping competing smart glasses within months of each other this fall, buyers who wait a few more months could see meaningfully better hardware than what{"'"}s available today. Read more in our smart glasses market analysis or browse all smart glasses, including current pricing on Ray-Ban Meta.