Oppo introduced a prototype pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses with a voice assistant on Monday, highlighting the trend among electronics giants to integrate artificial intelligence throughout their products for differentiation. Oppo, a major Chinese smartphone manufacturer, unveiled the Oppo Air Glass 3 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, resembling ordinary glasses as part of Oppo’s endeavor to create a design suitable for daily wear alongside smartphones.
Being AR glasses, users can view digital content overlaid onto the real-world scenery in front of them, ranging from messages to navigation maps. The Air Glass 3 requires a connection to an Oppo smartphone and features touch sensors on the frame for user control. Oppo disclosed that its latest AR glasses incorporate a voice assistant powered by their proprietary large language model (LLM) named AndesGPT.
LLMs, AI models trained extensively on data, are foundational to popular chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which have surged in popularity recently. The voice assistant is currently restricted to China, according to Oppo’s press release, capable of conducting tasks such as information searches and travel planning conversations to assist users.
This year, electronics manufacturers are emphasizing the integration of AI functionalities into their products amidst the rising popularity and hype surrounding the technology. Oppo is among the Chinese tech firms that have developed their LLMs, alongside counterparts like Alibaba and Baidu. Meanwhile, smartphone manufacturers outside China are leveraging their AI models to introduce novel experiences to devices, aiming to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Virtual and augmented reality have been discussed by electronics manufacturers for years but have yet to achieve the anticipated popularity. Various tech companies have pursued different strategies. Apple introduced the $3,500 Vision Pro, a sophisticated AR headset, while Meta, through its Quest headsets, has focused on the virtual reality market.
However, many companies believe that lightweight glasses will shape the future, allowing for daily wear in a stylish manner. Chinese AR firm Xreal, backed by Alibaba, shares this vision, as does Oppo, which has invested in augmented reality for years.
Oppo expressed in a press release its belief that glasses are an ideal hardware platform for AI due to features like visual and voice interactions, positioning them as potential companions for smartphones in various scenarios. The glasses weigh a mere 50 grams.
As the glasses are still in the prototype stage, it remains uncertain whether Oppo intends to bring them to market. Oppo’s previous Air Glass 2 was not made available to the public.
Nonetheless, Oppo aims to showcase its technological capabilities in a market it perceives as promising for the future. Market research firm IDC forecasted just 500,000 shipments of AR headsets in 2023 but anticipates a surge to 6.8 million by 2027.
