New report offers insights to assist executives, strategists, and stakeholders to navigate an increasingly important sector of augmented reality smartglasses.

March 4, 2019, San Francisco, CA – Greenlight Insights’ latest Research Note, the 2019 Smartglasses Market Review, which is being released next week, addresses many of the questions that developers, investors, and potential users of Augmented Reality (AR) need to know about this emerging class of hardware. Smartglasses are predicted to become increasingly popular, as they evolve to address a major source of friction for wearable AR. As the report’s author, J. C. Kuang, Analyst at Greenlight Insights has posited, “the ideal form factor is one you can forget you are wearing.”

With AR becoming commonplace in the media, the concept of augmenting the real world with data and computer graphics is no longer futuristic. However, the equipment needed to use this amazing technology remains obscure and confusing to many. Even content creators are unsure which platforms will matter and how to best capture audience share for their work.

Kuang added, “As is evident in this week’s Microsoft HoloLens 2 announcement, as AR becomes a more compelling supplement to the mobile/wearable electronics landscape, it may serve as the flashpoint of an entirely new form of computing. 2019 will see the industry reach a new threshold of commercial viability for dedicated AR devices.”

While recent and imminent press announcements of new devices from Microsoft and Magic Leap have pushed the value of AR, their devices are bulky and expensive, and are unlikely to be worn by casual consumers. Smartglasses, on the other hand, are lighter and much less costly, with some current models retailing for $500 or less.

Smartglasses include a computing device that delivers contextually relevant data with minimal infringement on the real world. They use cameras or other sensors for location awareness, and sometimes are capable of richly integrating information by tracking and mapping a user's environment. Some include a computing system in the frame of the glasses, others use a cable or wireless data link to connect to a mobile device, smart watch, or computer/battery pack worn on the body.

Greenlight Insights’ report tracks over 60 funding deals specifically relevant to the smartglasses industry since 2012, which illustrate investment patterns throughout both the enterprise and  consumer marketplace.

With major announcements of enabling technologies in AR from major firms like Apple and Google in the past year, Greenlight expects to see a rise in application development for smartglasses. The report examines these efforts as well as innovations from other sources, which will be critical to creating a consumer infrastructure for the devices.

The report also describes a number of the most popular display technologies being used in smartglasses, alongside profiles of the leading smartglasses developers, and manufacturers that may be introducing devices in the near future.

The 2019 Smartglasses Market Review is available to Greenlight Insights’ customers as part of their subscription plan, and to others as a standalone report. To find more information click here, contact Greenlight Insights or call 415-854-3282.

About Greenlight Insights

Greenlight Insights provides proprietary and syndicated research about virtual and augmented reality. Based in San Francisco, with offices in Boston and Denver, Greenlight Insights comprises a diverse team of highly-skilled industry professionals who offer deep expertise in xR markets. For more information, visit greenlightinsights.com to learn more or call +1 415-854-8232.