Robust Growth Expected in Consumer AR Glasses as Shipments Near 30 Million by 2030, Driven by No-Display Designs

The augmented reality (AR) smart glasses market is experiencing strong demand and rapid growth across both consumer and enterprise segments, as suppliers continue to introduce newer and more capable devices aimed at mass adoption. According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, the consumer segment will remain the largest vertical with consumer AR smart glasses shipments forecast to grow from roughly 850,000 units in 2024 to approximately 32 million units by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 82.9%. This acceleration is largely driven by the rising popularity of no-display smart glasses, which offer lighter, more portable designs suited for extended daily use.

“A key trend driving demand in AR smart glasses form factors is no-display AI smart glasses, which are widely used by consumers for AI translation, camera and video recording, audio navigation, and more,” said Rachel Kong, Industry Analyst at ABI Research. “From 2026 onward, we expect new product launches with enhanced features as AR manufacturers seek to capture a larger share of demand and scale adoption in the mass consumer market.”

ABI Research data shows that no-display smart glasses within the consumer segment are expected to grow from approximately 680,000 shipments in 2024 to around 28 million shipments by 2030, at a CAGR of 85.4%. To support this growth, suppliers and manufacturers are investing heavily in hardware improvements, including advances in micro displays, waveguides, power efficiency, size, and weight. These innovations are improving comfort and usability through features such as wider fields of view, lighter frames, and longer battery life that enable extended wear.

Leading and emerging brands producing display-free smart glasses include Meta Ray-Ban, Xiaomi AI Glasses, Apple Glasses, and Google’s AI smart glasses, reflecting growing competition and innovation across the ecosystem.

“In the consumer smart glasses market, users prioritize comfort, convenience, and overall user friendliness,” Kong added. “The industry is evolving to meet these expectations through both form factor innovation and the introduction of supporting devices such as neural bands and controllers, which enable more intuitive and seamless user experiences. Looking ahead, continued innovation across smart glasses designs and supporting technologies will play a pivotal role in driving adoption across both consumer and enterprise markets, positioning smart glasses as a key technology in the next phase of consumer electronics.”

These findings are from ABI Research’s Augmented Reality Hardware market data reports. The reports are part of the company’s Extended Reality (XR) Markets Research Service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights.