Rokid's AI Glasses Challenge Meta's Smart Eyewear Dominance with Advanced Features and Successful Crowdfunding

Look out, Meta Ray-Bans! These AI glasses just raised over $1M in pre-orders in 3 days

The AI glasses are likely to appeal to tech early adopters who value features over multiple style selections. The popular Meta Ray-Bans smart glasses are about to get a lot more competition, including from big tech companies like Samsung and Google. However, Rokid Glasses are shaping up to be one of the up-and-coming products to watch in this space. On August 26, Rokid launched a Kickstarter campaign to try to nail down $20,000 in pre-orders for its smart glasses by October 10. Less than 72 hours later, Rokid Glasses had already cleared over $1 million in pre-orders. I'm not sure anyone in the tech industry is all that surprised. The Rokid Glasses combine the three best features of Meta Ray-Bans -- convenient photography, ear buds-like audio, and a quick-access AI assistant -- with a head-up display like the ones you'll find in AR glasses such as the Even Realities G1 and Brilliant Labs Halo. Beyond just the heads-up display, the Rokid Glasses also offer several other upgrades over the Meta Ray-Bans: With all of that tech inside, the Rokid Glasses weigh 49g -- the same as Meta Ray-Bans -- and have a very similar physical footprint to the flagship Wayfarer style of Meta Ray-Bans in black. Also: 5 Meta Ray-Ban upgrades I want to see on September 17 The Rokid Glasses will retail for $599, compared to $299 to $379 for Meta Ray-Bans, $299 for Brilliant Labs Halo, $599 for Even Realities G1, and $399-$499 for the more recent Meta Oakley smart glasses. But for the Kickstarter, Rokid is offering the first 2,000 backers a 20% discount at $479. Rokid says it will ship the final product in November 2025. To be clear, this is more of a pre-order marketing campaign than a Kickstarter campaign. Rokid is a Chinese company with a presence in Silicon Valley and has been building smart speakers and smart glasses since 2014. More recently, the company has been focused on more bulky and full-featured AR glasses such as the Rokid Max 2 and partnering with over 200 museums in China to integrate immersive digital content. The company has been giving demos of the Rokid Glasses since CES in January 2025, where ZDNET first tried them. ZDNET spoke with Liang Guan, Rokid's US General Manager based in Redwood City, California and Irene Long, Head of Global Operations based at the company's headquarters in Hangzhou, China. Guan said that globally the company has already received orders for over 300,000 units of the Rokid Glasses. Since the US Kickstarter campaign only has about 1,900 orders as of September 1, the vast majority of the pre-orders are likely from partners and retailers. Guan mentioned that there are different versions of the product for different markets, and that includes some different features as well. For example, the version for the Chinese market will include a wireless payment feature while the version for the US and global markets will include turn-by-turn navigation. Rokid expects both features to be very popular in their respective markets. Most of the other features are the same or similar across markets. Long said, "At CES in January, our glasses were more like a prototype, and now they're ready. And so mass production begins in October." Meta has said it will unveil its next smart glasses products at its Meta Connect event at its Silicon Valley headquarters on September 17. The company is expected to launch its "Hypernova" glasses that will reportedly include a small color screen in one eye, a neural wristband to enable hand gestures, and will cost $800. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Meta is preparing to sell 150,000 - 200,000 units of these Hypernova glasses over the next two years. Also: Report: Samsung's tri-fold phone, XR headset, and AI smart glasses to be revealed on Sep 29 However, Meta is also reportedly going to launch a successor to its audio-only Meta Ray-Ban glasses at Meta Connect with a number of upgrades -- likely to match or exceed the capabilities of the Meta Oakley smart glasses released in summer 2025. The 3.o version of Meta Ray-Bans are expected to retail between $300-$500. So the Rokid Glasses would sit right in between the two Meta products -- more capable than the audio-only glasses but not quite as advanced as Hypernova. They also won't have the brand power of Ray-Bans, the wide retail distribution in the US, or offer the variety of different styles that the Meta Ray-Bans do. Nevertheless, among tech early adopters who want the most advanced features, Rokid Glasses are likely to be very competitive.

These Smart Glasses Have Something That Meta Ray-Ban Owners Desperately Want

Meta's Ray-Bans had a head start, but the smart glasses are quickly falling behind. Meta might be the splashiest purveyor of smart glasses out there, but Zuck's house isn't alone in chasing AR eyewear. In fact, if you want a pair of smart glasses with a display in themâ€"frames that are technically more advanced than Meta's Ray-Bansâ€"you can buy one right now, and upstarts like Rokid are among the few offering that in the U.S. Rokid just unveiled its new smart glasses, aptly dubbed Rokid Glasses, which pack a monochrome display in each eye with 1,500 nits of max brightness. Those displays (which are green-colored micro LED) can be used for simple app-like tools like navigation and even a "teleprompter" that can show scrolling text for presentations and keynotes. Game over, regular teleprompters; it's time for nerd glasses to shine. Rokid is also claiming that its smart glasses are the lightest camera-equipped specs that combine audio, AI, and AR. That's a lofty claim, to be sure, but the Rokid Glasses are objectively light. According to the company, they weigh just 49 grams, thanks to a magnesium-aluminum alloy frame. That's around the same weight as Meta's Ray-Bans, which weigh between 48 and 51 grams, though Meta's don't have a display of any kind. Arguably more so than the weight, I'm curious about how slim Rokid Glasses look and whether they can match Meta's regular sunglasses-like form factor. Like any modern pair of smart glasses, Rokid Glasses will also come with a camera that has a serviceable 12-megapixel sensor and can record in up to 60 frames per second, though Rokid doesn't say for how long. One thing I love (at least on paper) about the camera functionality of Rokid Glasses is that Rokid allows you to take pictures and record videos in different aspect ratios (3:4, 9:16, 4:3), unlike Meta's Ray-Bans. There are also speakers for open audio (great for listening to music) and a four-mic array for taking calls and using voice assistants like ChatGPT. Since we're already talking about AI; Rokid Glasses will come with a host of AI features similar to Meta's Ray-Bans, including object recognition, real-time translation, and AI transcription (asking your smart glasses to read text printed on a menu or sheet of paper). Those aren't novel, but they're increasingly standard when it comes to the new wave of AI-powered smart glasses. One thing I'm very curious about is the battery life. According to the company, the Rokid Glasses have a 210mAh battery, which sounds solid, though smart glasses with a display have a habit of eating up battery life very quickly, and if you're listening to music and using a voice assistant at the same time, demand on the battery piles up quickly. At least they support fast charging for when you need a quick top-up. Rokid Glasses will be pricier than a pair of Meta Ray-Bans, but that's to be expected given the fact that they can do quite a bit more with two built-in displays. Rokid says a Kickstarter campaign will start pricing at $499, and the glasses will MSRP at $599, though there's no current launch date outside of the crowdfunded launch.

A new challenger is coming for Meta's smart glasses throne

The Rokid AI Glasses are set to start shipping this November. Priced at $599, they're a decent amount more expensive than the $299 starting price of Meta's display-less smart glasses. However, early backers can get Rokid's device for $479, and a free charging case if they contribute to the first $1 million. While the displays give Rokid's smart glasses an extra level of functionality, Meta is expected to launch its own pair of AR glasses, codenamed Hypernova. These glasses are rumored to feature a monocular display and be priced at $800, which would make Rokid's glasses a little more attractive. Meta Connect is scheduled for September, so we could see an announcement for Hypernova at the event. Hypernova is expected to be an interim product ahead of the release of Project Orion, the company's full-fledged AR glasses.

I tried Rokid's new AI-powered AR glasses. They're incredible

Two days after Google unveiled the Pixel 10 series in New York last week, and just hours before I flew out of the city, I had a chance to check out the new Rokid AI Glasses. The form factor has always fascinated me as a glasses wearer, and the Ray-Ban Meta is a must-have in my bag, allowing me to capture that incredible first-person point-of-view footage that you can't easily capture with any other product. Yet, the Ray-Ban Meta are great for content creation and one of the best smart glasses, but since Google announced the first Google Glass thirteen years ago, we've been waiting for glasses with displays that can be truly useful. With the rise of AI, the glasses form factor has become even more important. While Google has yet to fully unveil its Project Astra AR glasses built in partnership with X-Real, we may not have to look far for an ideal alternative. Recommended Videos Meet the new Rokid Glasses; I tried them and they're incredible. Here's why. The perfect AI translator I travel a lot, and I have longed for a super convenient way to understand the local language when I'm in a foreign country. The Rokid AI Glasses deliver just this, with real-time translation capabilities for conversations and images. The Rokid Glasses are particularly useful for translating images. However, there is a caveat: while they excel at translating pictures of a menu on a laptop display, the translation is slightly inconsistent. On my first attempt, it translated the menu entirely, including pricing; however, the second attempt yielded less useful results without pricing information. For real-time conversations, you hear the translated audio through the dual HD directional speakers, and it automatically recognizes the language before displaying the text translation on the small heads-up display. The Rokid Glasses feature the most convenient AI translator I've used, and I'm eager to test it on my next trip to Asia. Ideal as a teleprompter There's another key feature that sets the Rokid Glasses apart: the teleprompter mode. I record videos about technology, and the biggest challenge is setting up a teleprompter while traveling. The Rokid Glasses solve a key problem for content creators and will likely become essential for anyone who records video with scripts. As the Ray-Ban Meta has become popular for content creation and Instagram integration, the Rokid Glasses could be for long-form content creators. You can activate teleprompter mode either with the control pad and button on the right arm or using the "Hi, Rokid" voice command. This pairs with Rokid's AI Assistant to allow you to launch apps, ask questions, perform tasks and actions on the glasses, or activate different features. The dual-monochrome green micro-LED display is easy to see even in indoor conditions; however, it remains unclear how well it will perform against a bright backdrop. From my first hands-on, one thing is clear: the Rokid Glasses deliver on what I want from AR glasses. A suite of useful AI & AR tools Those two features are enough to seal the deal for me on the Rokid Glasses, as each solves a key problem that I face frequently. Yet, the Rokid Glasses also feature other practical and useful AI & AR tools that solve problems that many people face. First, there's Object & Scene Recognition, a feature that could be a game-changer for those who are hard of sight. The Rokid Glasses were easily able to recognize different objects and scenes just by asking "Hi Rokid, what's in front of me?" and the responses were rich, detailed, and provided great context. From recognizing wide spaces, such as an office, to minute details like a specific brand of flowers, the Rokid Glasses seem capable of identifying a wide range of scenarios and objects, and crucially, parlaying them into a detailed description that is inherently useful. Then there's HUD Navigation, which displays turn-by-turn directions directly in the 23° field of view from the display in each eye. I couldn't test this during my brief hands-on as we were indoors, but this is a feature that we expect from any AR glasses, so it should work as planned. Cameras and other hardware Another table-stakes feature on AR glasses is the ability to capture photos and videos, especially since the Ray-Ban Meta has conditioned customers to expect this feature. The Rokid Glasses mostly deliver on this, with native 12MP photos in a 3:4 format, and an unusual 1680p (1680×1050 pixels) video recording. The entire package is powered by the Qualcomm AR1 processor, featuring 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. Each eye features a micro LED display with a 480 x 398 pixel resolution and a brightness rating of 1,500 nits. There are also four mics with AI-powered noise cancellation for clear calls, although I couldn't test this either. If you're like me and require prescription lenses, Rokid confirmed that the Rokid Glasses will be available with magnetic attachments that accommodate your specific prescription. It'll take around three weeks for them to arrive, although this is the stated time once the product has entered the market. After spending time with them, the Rokid Glasses are incredible The Rokid Glasses feature a 210mAh battery, and the included charging case offers up to ten recharges with a full charge. Rokid didn't confirm how long the battery will last, although it is easy to put it into sleep mode using the touchpad and button combination. The Rokid Glasses are quite light, weighing only 49 grams, thanks to their magnesium-alloy frame, and they offer IPX4 splash resistance. Many of the AI features on the Rokid Glasses are powered by a combination of AI Assistants, including ChatGPT, which Rokid relies on for contextual queries and task automation. Every query and interaction with the glasses is also available to view in the app, allowing you to recall the information on a larger screen when needed. The Rokid Glasses are available on Kickstarter for $499, a $100 discount on the $599 MSRP. At the time of posting, there are 44 days to go; the campaign has achieved over $300,000 in backing -- significantly exceeding its $20,000 goal -- and I can see why: after spending time with them, the Rokid Glasses are incredible.

Rokid's New AI Glasses are Official - Phandroid

Smart wearable brand Rokid has certainly made a name for itself throughout the past few years, and the brand recently announced the launch of its new Rokid Glasses, the latest addition to its lineup of smart glasses. Powered by Qualcomm's AR1 platform, Rokid says that the glasses are designed for both personal and professional use. READ: Samsung Project Moohan pricing rumors suggest an awkward middle ground The Rokid Glasses manage to stay pretty lightweight at just 49 grams, and come with a design that's mostly discreet -- you probably wpuldn't even realize that they're smart glasses at first glance. Capable of supporting full-function AI and AR capabilities, the glasses also come with a 12-megapixel camera in addition to built-in Micro-LED waveguide displays. Rokid says that the new glasses offer a wide range of AI-driven features, including real-time translation, object recognition, navigation, transcription, as well as access to notifications. Currently up on Kickstarter, Rokid has managed to raise more than $400,000 in just a number of hours. The company adds that it's expanding its developer ecosystem globally, and is targeting over 1,000 international developers in an initiative that will support localized apps and services for users worldwide. Rokid has also partnered with more than 50 universities to foster innovation, with over 200 projects already developed using Rokid's software.

Rokid Announces AI Glasses as a Competitor to Ray-Ban Meta Glasses

There is a Hi Rokid companion app for adjusting various settings Rokid AI Glasses were announced as a Kickstarter project on Wednesday. The artificial intelligence (AI)-powered wearable is expected to arrive as a competitor to the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses in the augmented reality (AR) space. It will be equipped with dual-eye displays, enabling users to see navigational directions and translations in real time. The Rokid AI Glasses come with a 12-megapixel camera and a built-in AI assistant. As per the company, it can also be fitted with prescription lenses. Rokid AI Glasses Price, Availability The Rokid AI Glasses will be priced at $599 (roughly Rs. 52,500). However, early backers of the project on Kickstarter can purchase the AI wearable for $479 (roughly Rs. 42,000), as part of a special launch offer. The company will also bundle a free charging case worth $99 (roughly Rs. 8,700) with the Rokid AI Glasses to those who contribute to the first $1 million (roughly Rs. 8.77 crore). The AR glasses will begin shipping to buyers in November, as per the company. Rokid AI Glasses Features, Specifications Rokid AI Glasses are aimed at tech enthusiasts, content creators, travellers, and language learners. The company claims it can be used by anyone who wants to "integrate AI, visual communication, and entertainment seamlessly into daily life." Consumers can get the Rokid AI Glasses fitted with prescription myopia or astigmatism lenses at their local optical store. Alternatively, such lenses are also available for purchase through Rokid's partnered lens providers. The smart glasses are equipped with dual eye micro-LED displays with up to 1,500 nits peak brightness, a 10-level dimming system, and a 23-degree field-of-view (FoV). It provides AI navigation, real-time translation with live subtitles, text output of the AI assistant, app notifications, and phone call reminders. Further, the displays can also function as a teleprompter, helping during presentations. The glasses have a dual-chip architecture, powered by Qualcomm AR1 and NXP RT600 chipsets. It delivers an AR experience that is complemented by AI. As per the company, the Rokid AI Glasses run on OpenAI's GPT-5 model. Users can also record videos with the Rokid AI Glasses, similar to the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses. It has a single 12-megapixel camera that can be used to take hands-free photos and shoot PoV videos. The glasses support single video recordings of one minute, three minutes, or 10 minutes, depending on the user's preference. Various settings can be adjusted via the Hi Rokid companion app. The smart glasses can also be faced towards an object and carry out object recognition or text translation, leveraging AI. An indicator light will flash once the video recording commences to protect others' privacy. The Rokid AI Glasses use a proprietary large language model (LLM) to enable live translation in up to 89 languages. Its capabilities are aided by features such as live subtitles and optional voice playback. There is also support for hands-free calling and music playback, courtesy of built-in speakers. Rokid has equipped the smart glasses with four microphones to suppress ambient noise and highlight the user's voice. During music playback, AR lyrics are displayed on the screen for a karaoke-like experience. The Rokid AI Glasses are IPX4 rated for water resistance and weigh 49g. The wearable has a 210mAh battery, which is claimed to provide up to 45 minutes of continuous video recording and up to six hours of music playback. There is also an optional case with a 3,000mAh battery, which can charge the Rokid AI Glasses more than 10 times on a single charge.

Rokid Glasses Unveiled: Is the Shift to Applied AI Wearables Finally Happening

Rokid unveiled its new AI-powered smart glasses in New York last week, hosting an exclusive event for about 100 journalists, academics, and industry insiders. The presentation marked the official launch of Rokid Glasses, a 49-gram device that combines augmented reality with everyday wearability. The product has now reached one million dollars in Kickstarter funding. My initial hands-on impression is the weight. At only 49 grams, the Rokid Glasses feel more like a pair of regular eyeglasses than a tech gadget. Putting them on, the display gently overlays functional prompts without overwhelming your vision: the effect doesn't intrude on peripheral vision, and it feels very natural. At the demo stations, translation and object recognition were at the center stage. I spoke with a representative, and their part of the conversation in Mandarin was translated into English in real time, while spoken notes were transformed into a neat transcript. Although there were some pickup hiccups among the large crowd, the function operated quickly enough to feel practical, especially in settings like classrooms or business meetings. Object recognition was less flashy but quietly helpful: it naturally hovered in sightlines, and with a simple command like "Hi Rokid, what's in front of me," I was able to identify a foreign menu, various road signs, and even distinguish the correct species of a flower. The built-in 12MP camera is worth mentioning. Stabilized and HDR-capable, it captured surprisingly clear first-person videos during a brief walkaround, providing a perspective typically reserved for a GoPro. An AI-powered teleprompter completed the demo, scrolling text at eye level in a way that made it indispensable for presenters or content creators. What stood out most was how little adjustment the glasses required. Unlike VR headsets or bulkier AR devices, the Rokid Glasses approach enhances everyday moments with intelligence, rather than creating an entirely new reality. By staging its first international launch in New York, Rokid is making an effort to push AI wearables out of the lab and into daily life, whether for work, travel, or accessibility. Applied AI is coming, and it's more practical than we thought.