Xiaomi Just Outsmarted Meta with its AI Smartglasses
Smart glasses are having a moment again. Ten years after Google ended Google Glass, the smart glasses market is heating up, with Xiaomi launching its AI-powered smart glasses to compete with Meta's Ray-Ban range.
Could smart glasses catch on this time? Either way, there's a clear winner when you put Xiaomi's AI Glasses up against Meta's Ray-Ban Glasses.
Xiaomi's AI Glasses capture the moment better (and record for way longer)
At first glance, the shooter on the Meta Ray-Ban AI Glasses has a lot going for it. It's a 12MP ultra-wide camera, with a discreet design and voice-activated photos/videos.
Of course, this is Meta, so you've got social-friendly integrations like POV video calling on WhatsApp.
The big letdown is that videos are limited to 3 minutes max. Importing media is clunky, too: You need to connect to the glasses' Wi-Fi via the Meta View app to sync.
The Xiaomi AI Glasses also sport a 12MP camera, but up the ante with a claimed 45 minutes of continuous video recording.
Then, there's object recognition, real-time text translation, and hands-free voice capture. The glasses can also livestream and make first-person video calls.
It's like having an AI cameraman on your face. This is a huge leap forward if Xiaomi's thermal management holds up.
Xiaomi edges Meta with one killer feature for audio
The Meta Ray-Bans have excellent microphones (better than AirPods Pro), decent speakers, and touch-sensitive arms for playback control. "Hey Meta" triggers the assistant, which can read messages and send media hands-free.
But sometimes, the glasses get ahead of themselves and activate unintentionally. You can disable the always-on feature to avoid this.
On the Xiaomi AI Glasses, you're looking at not just one microphone here, but five. You've also got an onboard assistant and smart payment verification via voice.
On paper, Xiaomi matches Meta feature for feature and adds functionality like scanning QR codes and authorizing mobile payments using Alipay + camera + voice. If you live in China where QR code payment is king, this makes payment even easier.
Meta wins at fashion, Xiaomi beats it at function
It's a brand collaboration with Ray-Ban, so of course you can choose iconic designs with the Meta Glasses, from classic Headliner and Wayfarer shapes to round and transparent looks.
Xiaomi's frames look more futuristic and utilitarian than Meta’s lifestyle-first aesthetic, but they pack features Meta doesn't even attempt. Thanks to electrochromic lenses, you can manually adjust between shaded and clear lenses on the fly. Sure, they may lack Ray-Ban’s iconic appeal, but they make up for it in versatility.
One caveat is that Xiaomi's AI Glasses are clearly designed with Asian facial features in mind, judging by how the temple arms pivot 12° outward and tilt 5° forward.
Xiaomi's battery life leaves Meta's in the dust
With the Meta Ray-Bans, you get about 4–5 hours of regular use, or about 3.5 hours of audio playback. Fast charging gets you from 5% to 40% in 15 minutes, which is fine, we guess.
The case is stylish and functional but won't save you from midday top-ups if you're filming a lot of 3-minute videos.
So, there's no competition here. Xiaomi claims a massive 8.6 hours of use on a single charge—nearly double Meta’s runtime. This could be the biggest win in real-world usability. Also includes continuous video recording without thermal throttling.
The jury is out on connectivity and usability
Setup can be hit-or-miss on the Meta AI Glasses, especially with Android. We've heard reports of annoying bugs when pairing with Messenger or switching devices. Once it works, it's great. Still, the onboarding experience needs work.
You can sync media overnight but still can't preview files inside the app before importing.
Still early days for user testing, but Xiaomi claims intuitive AI voice control, fast pairing, and mobile payment integration. If that all works seamlessly, Xiaomi wins on innovation alone. But the lack of real-world feedback makes this category harder to call.
Heyup Verdict: Xiaomi or Meta AI Glasses?
Choosing Xiaomi over Meta/Ray-Bans for smartglasses might come down to where you live and the daily tech you already use.
If you want tight integration with WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses are a no-brainer. They're fun, stylish and great for your everyday things like calls, voice memos, and music on the go.
Xiaomi's AI Glasses are the clear winners when it comes to innovation. They bring serious heat with features like:
- Manual lens tinting
- 45-minute video capture
- 8.6-hour battery life
- Mobile payment capability
- Onboard AI voice assistant
That being said, real-world performance remains to be seen. Or more specicailly, performance in the world outside of China, where AIipay isn't widely used and some features might be incompatible.
But if Xiaomi figure out how to launch a global version with fully localized features, the Meta Ray-Ban AI Glasses might go the way of Google Glass.
