Xiaomi’s Smart Glasses Go Viral: Inside China’s Newest Tech Craze

Hot Sales and Social Media Buzz in China

Xiaomi’s First AI Glasses a Sell-Out: Xiaomi’s newly launched AI smart glasses have become an instant hit in China, shattering initial sales records and dominating online buzz. On launch night (June 26, 2025), eager “Mi Fans” rushed to Xiaomi stores to snap up limited stock, and within 12 hours on JD.com (Jingdong) the glasses sold over 10,000 units, soaring to the No.1 spot on the smart glasses bestseller list . The premium electrochromic-lens editions (which feature tint-adjustable lenses) were completely sold out in minutes . Five days after release, Xiaomi’s JD flagship store had exceeded 10k sales, with another 4,000+ units on Tmall (Taobao) – effectively clearing out initial inventories. At Xiaomi’s retail outlets, staff reported the glasses were nearly out of stock nationwide (standard black-frame units only available in very limited quantities, and tinted versions on back-order for weeks) . Such demand firmly cements Xiaomi’s device as the fastest-selling AI glasses ever in China , a category that until now was considered niche.

Beyond raw sales, social media hype around the product has been immense. Discussion of “Xiaomi AI Glasses” trended across platforms – from Weibo and WeChat feeds to video sites. On Bilibili, Xiaohongshu (Red), and Douyin (TikTok China), countless tech bloggers and everyday users posted hands-on videos and reviews, driving the topic’s popularity even higher . Even content creators who “never wear glasses” have been trying out Xiaomi’s eyewear and sharing their experiences . This viral buzz helped Xiaomi’s glasses “break out” of tech circles into mainstream awareness , signaling genuine consumer curiosity for this new device category.

User Feedback – Pros and Cons: Early adopters generally report that Xiaomi’s glasses deliver on their promises, though with some first-generation trade-offs. Audio quality and comfort are frequently praised – the built-in open-ear speakers produce clear sound and calls, and the 40g frame feels as light and comfortable as ordinary eyewear for most users . Many wearers find it easy to forget they’re using a high-tech gadget at all. The glasses’ 12MP front camera enables convenient first-person photos and videos – a key selling point. Users describe the camera as “good enough” for casual shooting (especially in well-lit conditions) and appreciate the novelty of capturing moments hands-free from a true eye-level perspective . In fact, those who have tried similar products (like Meta’s Ray-Ban Stories or TCL’s Thunderbird glasses) say Xiaomi’s image quality is the best of the trio , with bright, vibrant shots. Parents love being able to record snippets of daily life (e.g. playful children) with a quick tap, without fumbling for a phone . On Chinese e-commerce, the product earned thousands of reviews within days, reflecting strong engagement .

However, feedback also flags notable shortcomings. The glasses lack any augmented-reality display, so all interaction is via voice (Xiaomi’s “Xiao Ai” assistant) or a companion phone app – meaning no visual HUD for notifications or navigation. Some users expected a bit more “sci-fi” and note that Lei Jun (Xiaomi’s CEO) didn’t wear the glasses onstage at launch, presumably because they have no built-in display to double as a teleprompter . Image stabilization and low-light performance are weak points: quick head movements can lead to blurry “shaky” footage, and night videos suffer noticeable jitter . A few buyers humorously complained that pressing the shutter button causes the glasses to tilt (because you’re literally pushing on your eyewear), resulting in slanted shots . Battery life, while improved over earlier products, is still a limiting factor – heavy use drains the glasses in a few hours. Users report mixed results: for example ~10% battery drop for a 7-minute video recording, whereas just idling or listening to music for 30 minutes used only ~1% . Many agree all-day use isn’t realistic yet; you’ll likely recharge midday during intensive use . On the plus side, Xiaomi’s custom dual-chip design (with a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 processor and a secondary low-power chip) supports fast charging – about 30 minutes to go from 20% to 93% battery . Unlike Meta and others, Xiaomi notably omitted a charging carry-case, which some see as a drawback for on-the-go use . Finally, some iPhone and non-Xiaomi Android users note that full functionality currently requires a Xiaomi smartphone – the glasses pair to any phone via Bluetooth/WiFi, but certain features (e.g. live-streaming from the glasses’ camera, seamless video calls from glasses) are integrated only with Xiaomi’s own MIUI/Pinecone OS phones . Despite these wrinkles, the overwhelming market response shows that consumers are excited to embrace this new form factor, especially at Xiaomi’s aggressive pricing.

From Concept to Reality: Xiaomi’s Smart Glasses Journey

Xiaomi’s “overnight” success in smart glasses has in fact been years in the making. The company has explored wearable tech eyewear for nearly four years, steadily advancing from early concepts to mass-market product:

• September 2021 – Concept Prototype: Xiaomi debuted its first Smart Glasses “Exploration Edition” concept, signaling its ambitions in augmented reality. Weighing just 51g, the concept glasses used a tiny MicroLED display with optical waveguide technology to project a monochrome image onto the lens . Xiaomi demonstrated basic AR capabilities: hands-free navigation with turn-by-turn directions floating in your view, notification pop-ups, and even real-time translation of text in your line of sight . The concept included a 5MP camera and voice calling, showcasing a future where glasses could handle many smartphone tasks. At the time, it was purely a tech demo with no price or release date announced – but it proved Xiaomi’s R&D teams were serious about AR hardware.

• August 2022 – First Product Test (Mijia Glasses Camera): The company’s ecosystem partner launched the Mijia Glasses Camera, a camera-centric smart glasses device. This was Xiaomi’s first commercial foray into the category (under its Mi Ecosystem sub-brand “Mijia”). The Mijia Glasses Camera featured a dual-camera setup (50MP main + 8MP periscope telephoto) and a small heads-up display for augmented reality translation and shooting tips . Priced at ¥2,699 (crowdfunding offer ¥2,499), it wasn’t cheap – yet it saw an enthusiastic response from Xiaomi’s community. Within 5 minutes of its crowdfunding launch, it raised over ¥1 million in orders , and by the campaign’s end it had amassed ¥10.39 million from over 69,000 backers . This strong showing made it 2022’s top crowdfunded Xiaomi eco-product. The device was a niche experiment, but proved there was real consumer interest in wearable camera glasses for first-person shooting and translation. Xiaomi treated it as a learning experience in optics, battery and user experience for eyewear.

• 2023 – Smart Audio Glasses: As audio-equipped “glasses with speakers” grew trendy, Xiaomi introduced its Mijia Smart Audio Glasses line. The first-gen model (late 2022) and a second-gen in early 2025 (at a budget-friendly ¥999 price ) offered users open-ear Bluetooth audio in a stylish glasses form factor. These devices, similar to Bose Frames or Huawei’s Gentle Monster series, had no cameras or displays – focusing instead on music playback, phone calls, and voice assistant access. While not as high-tech as AR glasses, they further honed Xiaomi’s design of comfortable, lightweight frames and showed Xiaomi’s interest in the “audio glasses” sub-category (essentially wearable earphones). Notably, these were produced via an eco-chain partner (Fengmi Technologies) and branded “Mijia” rather than Xiaomi. This kept expectations modest, but it laid groundwork in components (micro speakers, beamforming mics, battery in temples, etc.) relevant to future smart glasses.

• Late 2024 – Stepping Up Investment: Rumors swirled that Xiaomi was gearing up for a flagship AR/AI glasses launch. Reports emerged that CEO Lei Jun had set an ambitious internal goal of 300,000 units for the first production run – a massive number given the entire Chinese AR glasses market was still nascent. Xiaomi was said to be partnering with Goertek (a leading AR/VR hardware OEM) on design and manufacturing . Goertek’s expertise in optics and micro-displays hinted that Xiaomi’s device could include advanced features like electrochromic lenses and dual processors. By the end of 2024, industry watchers were calling the expected launch a potential watershed for consumer AR in China . Xiaomi’s entrance – as a top smartphone maker with huge retail reach – was anticipated to “break the silence” of big players missing from this arena .

• June 2025 – Xiaomi AI Glasses Launch: Xiaomi officially unveiled its first AI smart glasses on June 26, 2025, pricing it aggressively at ¥1,999 (approx. $280) for the base version . Two premium versions with electrochromic lenses (tint-adjustable sunglasses, in mono or multi-color) were offered at ¥2,699 and ¥2,999 . The product is sold under the main Xiaomi brand, reflecting its strategic importance (unlike past “Mijia” experiments) . Lei Jun introduced the glasses as “a personal smart device for the next era” – essentially a wearable AI assistant . The device indeed integrates Xiaomi’s voice AI (“Xiao Ai”) for continuous dialogue and real-time Q&A about anything in your field of view . It can snap HD photos or record POV video hands-free (“Xiao Ai, start recording” triggers it ), play music, take calls, and even interface with smart home appliances via voice commands . Internally, it packs a dual-processor architecture (Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR platform plus a secondary BES co-processor) to handle AI tasks and sensor data efficiently . Xiaomi made no secret that it benchmarked this product against Meta’s Ray-Ban Stories collab – emphasizing advantages like better fit for Asian faces, longer battery (up to 8 hours on moderate use), and integration with Xiaomi’s app ecosystem . In features and pricing, Xiaomi is effectively bringing high-end smart glasses capabilities to a much wider Chinese audience, validating a product category that domestic startups had pioneered but not popularized. The immediate sales success and mainstream media coverage indicate Xiaomi’s bet on “AI glasses” as the next big tech accessory may be paying off.

China’s Smart Glasses Arena: Xiaomi vs. the Competition

Xiaomi’s entry arrives amid what local tech media dub the “Hundred Glasses War” – a surge of players big and small racing into smart eyewear . After years of false starts, 2025 is viewed as a breakout year for the industry, with over 100 models of smart glasses (broadly defined) expected to launch in China alone . Companies ranging from phone giants to internet platforms and AR startups are vying to define the market. Here we look at the major Chinese players and how Xiaomi’s offering compares:

• Huawei – Betting on Audio-First Wearables: Huawei has approached smart glasses from a lifestyle angle, focusing on audio and health features. Its flagship HUAWEI Smart Glasses 2 (launched Sept 2023) is essentially an “AI audio glasses” device – glasses with built-in open-ear speakers and microphones, but no camera or AR display . Running HarmonyOS, it supports voice assistant functions, real-time translation and even posture monitoring for spinal health . The emphasis is on seamless integration with Huawei phones and all-day wear. Weighing around 38g with elegant frames co-designed by fashion brands, Huawei’s glasses target users who want a wearable wireless headphone that also looks like stylish eyewear. Priced from ¥1,699 (standard models) up to ¥2,299 for premium titanium frames , Huawei’s models are in a similar range to Xiaomi’s but serve a different use-case. Positioning: Huawei’s lack of camera or AR visuals means it doesn’t directly compete on the “AI vision” functionality of Xiaomi’s glasses. Instead, Huawei is competing to be the go-to audio smart glasses choice – a high-tech successor to Bluetooth earbuds. Huawei has hinted at future AR-capable glasses (and is reportedly investing in AR optics R&D ), but as of mid-2025 its offering remains firmly audio-centric. By volume, Huawei has already sold tens of thousands of these audio glasses in China, indicating a solid niche market. Xiaomi’s new glasses actually include all the features of Huawei’s (music, calls, voice assistant) plus the camera – albeit in a slightly bulkier form – which could sway some consumers away from Huawei’s if they value the camera feature.

• Thunderbird (TCL’s RayNeo) – AR Veteran Turning to Consumers: Thunderbird Innovations – often marketed as TCL RayNeo – is one of China’s pioneering AR device makers. Spun off from display giant TCL, RayNeo has years of experience developing AR display glasses (notably the Thunderbird X2 prototype with color microLED waveguides in 2021). In January 2025, RayNeo launched the Thunderbird X3 (V3) Smart Glasses at CES Las Vegas, marking its first major