The global extended reality (XR) headwear market is entering a transition phase as consumers and technology vendors increasingly shift their focus toward lighter, glasses-based devices.
According to Omdia, worldwide XR headwear shipments are expected to decline by 12 percent to 6.2 million units in 2026, reflecting continued weakness in traditional headset demand. However, the market is forecast to return to growth in 2027, reaching 6.5 million units, representing a 4.8 percent increase.
The recovery is expected to be fueled primarily by the rapid adoption of XR glasses, which are emerging as a more practical and comfortable alternative to bulky headsets. The tethered XR glasses segment, led by Chinese vendors such as Xreal and RayNeo, is projected to reach 900,000 units in 2026, growing 19 percent year-over-year. The category is expected to maintain strong double-digit growth and expand to 3.8 million units by 2030.
Standalone XR glasses remain a niche segment focused largely on enterprise deployments and developer ecosystems. Shipments in this category are forecast to reach only 93,000 units in 2026. Despite the relatively small base, the segment is expected to experience significant growth over the next five years as spatial computing technologies mature and hardware capabilities improve.
Omdia notes that XR headwear is part of the broader intelligent headwear market, which also includes AI glasses. The growing popularity of AI-powered smart glasses is helping normalize face-worn computing among consumers, creating favorable conditions for wider XR glasses adoption.
In contrast, the standalone XR headset market continues to face challenges. The category, which includes devices such as the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro, is projected to decline by 15 percent in 2026 to 4.7 million units. Shipments are expected to contract again in 2027, marking the fifth consecutive year of decline since the market peaked during the pandemic-driven demand surge of 2021 and 2022.
A recovery for standalone headsets is not anticipated until 2028, when shipments are forecast to reach 5 million units. Market analysts believe this rebound will depend heavily on Apple introducing a more affordable version of Vision Pro around 2028, potentially encouraging competitors such as Samsung and Vivo to expand their investments in spatial computing hardware.
Meanwhile, tethered XR headsets continue to lose relevance as standalone alternatives gain traction. Shipments in this segment are expected to fall 34 percent in 2026 to 500,000 units, highlighting the industry’s ongoing migration toward more flexible and consumer-friendly form factors. The forecast underscores an industry shift toward lightweight XR and AI-powered glasses as the future of immersive computing. While traditional headsets continue to face adoption challenges, XR glasses are increasingly positioned as the next growth engine for the extended reality market through the remainder of the decade.
