Updated
Updated · Informa PLC · Aug 19
AR Display Shipments to Hit 21 Million by 2030, Overtaking VR at 19 Million
Updated
Updated · Informa PLC · Aug 19

AR Display Shipments to Hit 21 Million by 2030, Overtaking VR at 19 Million

1 articles · Updated · Informa PLC · Aug 19

Summary

  • Omdia forecasts AR display shipments will reach 21 million units in 2030, edging past VR displays at 19 million as the XR near-eye market shifts toward smartglasses.
  • Lightweight designs are driving that change, with manufacturers still struggling to balance display performance, device weight and battery life in AI/AR glasses.
  • Some brands are responding by dropping displays altogether—Ray-Ban Meta is one example—and emphasizing AI computing plus audio-visual input instead.
  • VR’s display share is projected to fall from 72% in 2026 to 43% by 2032, while AR’s rises from 28% to 57%, signaling a broader restructuring of the microdisplay industry.

Insights

Will the booming success of display-less AI eyewear ultimately pave the way for true AR, or kill the visual wearable market entirely?
As lightweight AR glasses surge in popularity by 2030, is the bulky virtual reality headset destined to become a forgotten relic?