Global smart eyewear shipments reached 3.547 million units in the second quarter of 2026, up 35.3% year over year, according to IDC’s latest quarterly tracking report. Audio and camera glasses accounted for 2.494 million units, while AR / ER glasses reached 505,000 units. VR / MR headset shipments fell 23.3% to 548,000 units.
China’s smart eyewear shipments fell 8% year over year to 611,000 units, marking the market’s first decline. Audio and camera glasses dropped 35.4% to 332,000 units, while China’s AR / VR market grew 85.8% to 279,000 units. AR / ER glasses grew 123%, driven partly by lightweight AI glasses.
IDC said display-less audio glasses remained the largest global category, accounting for 70.3% of second-quarter shipments. The market is also shifting toward lighter devices, AI features and more practical use cases. [IDC]