TLDR: Chinese startup XReal plans to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro by offering its own augmented reality (AR) glasses at a more affordable price. XReal recently unveiled its latest device, the Air 2 Ultra, which blends the virtual world with the user’s physical surroundings. The glasses project a virtual screen for notifications and videos onto the user’s line of vision. XReal aims to make advanced wearable AR glasses accessible to all players in the XR development ecosystem. The company is set to raise $60 million from an undisclosed supply chain partner, which will help scale its manufacturing capabilities and research and development. XReal expects to double its production capacity and generate $100-150 million in revenue this year, and up to 2 million devices and $200-300 million in revenue by 2025.
Chinese startup XReal is set to challenge Apple’s Vision Pro with its own AR glasses at a more affordable price. Known as the Air 2 Ultra, these glasses project a virtual screen for notifications and videos onto the user’s line of vision. XReal aims to make advanced wearable AR glasses accessible to all players in the XR development ecosystem. While Apple’s Vision Pro starts at $3,499, XReal plans to offer a more affordable alternative that consumers can wear all day long. XReal is set to raise $60 million from an undisclosed supply chain partner, which will help scale its manufacturing capabilities and research and development.
XReal has been selling AR glasses as part of its Air product line since 2017 and is expected to produce an additional 500,000 to 1 million units of its AR devices this year. The company predicts it will generate $100-150 million in revenue in 2024 and up to 2 million devices and $200-300 million in revenue by 2025. Unlike Apple’s Vision Pro, XReal does not plan to build a fully immersive virtual reality feature into its glasses. The company believes it is three to five years ahead of Apple in terms of AR capabilities and aims to push the boundaries in the AR market.