XREAL and TCL Unveil New AR Glasses at CES 2024

Despite Competitive Pricing and Advanced Features, Practicality and Value of AR Glasses Questioned

XREAL, formerly known as Nreal, has unveiled its latest AR glasses, the XREAL Air 2 Ultra, at CES 2024. The glasses are priced at $699 and feature dual 3D environment sensors with computer vision capabilities, positioning them as a compelling alternative to competitors such as the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3.
The XREAL Air 2 Ultra AR glasses are set to be released in March 2024. They are designed to be sleek and lightweight, with a titanium frame and a modern, Wayfarer-esque design. The glasses also support Apple's latest spatial video feature, allowing users to film spatial videos with their iPhone 15 Pro, convert them to a regular format, and play them on the glasses.
However, the XREAL Air 2 Ultra is not a standalone product. To use them, you'll need to connect them to a compatible device with a USB-C display port. Currently, the only compatible devices listed on the official store page are the Samsung Galaxy S22, the Samsung Galaxy S23, and a “custom computing unit” that XREAL says is on the way.
TCL has also introduced its new AR glasses, the RayNeo Air X2 Lite, at CES 2024. The glasses are powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 processor and feature binocular full-color microLED technology. They are set to be available globally via the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo in February 2024.
Despite the advancements in AR glasses technology, some reviewers have expressed doubts about the practicality and value of these devices. They argue that while the features are impressive, the glasses do not offer much more than what a smartphone can already do. Furthermore, the need for additional hardware to use the glasses could potentially increase the overall cost and make them less affordable than they initially appear.

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