Hardwired
In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all issues {hardware}, together with telephones, audio merchandise, storage servers, and networking gear.
If there was one pattern this 12 months at CES 2026, it is AR glasses. Over a dozen manufacturers showcased new merchandise on the occasion, and what stood out was simply how a lot progress this class is making. Having used near a dozen AR glasses over the past 12 months, it was thrilling to see the likes of Even Realities G2 and Rokid’s Meta-rivaling AI Glasses.
The Dragonfly G1 Mini is fascinating as it’s considerably smaller than its predecessor, coming in at simply 0.2cc. This permits AR gadget makers to roll out glasses which might be thinner and lighter, with Appotronics touting glasses as gentle as 29g — half the burden of the Meta Ray-Bans.
The engine is constructed on Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) tech, and the important thing profit is that it delivers binocular imaging, so just one gentle engine is required to energy a pair of AR glasses. In contrast, the Meta Ray-Ban Show makes use of a monocular gentle engine that is embedded in the suitable lens.
One other change is that the sunshine engine is positioned within the middle of the body, and this once more permits manufacturers to ship glasses with thinner total designs or larger batteries. I talked to Chen Menghao, Common Supervisor of the Appotronics Innovation Heart, and he indicated that the sunshine engine is being utilized in Sharge’s upcoming Loomos S1 glasses, which weigh simply 29g.
The Dragonfly C1, in the meantime, is the primary full-color dual-split LCoS design, and it delivers binocular AR show in full coloration by way of a single module. That in itself is a giant deal, and Menghao talked about how demand for AR glasses is driving innovation into chromatic gentle engines. Whereas the G1 Mini makes use of an everyday inexperienced LED, the C1 has RGB LEDs that allow full-color projection, unlocking a collection of recent use instances.
Whereas I am but to get my fingers on the Meta Ray-Ban Show, I have been utilizing Even Realities’ G2 within the final two weeks, and I actually like the truth that I can get notifications and related knowledge with out having to tug out my telephone. The G2 makes use of an everyday inexperienced projection, and I am intrigued by how RGB lenses will make a distinction on this space.
The important thing takeaway after speaking to Menghao is how Appotronics is pioneering smaller optical gentle engines, and it is astonishing to see how a lot progress is being made in only a matter of months. That is at all times the case with a brand new class generally, and it is clear that AR glasses will see the form of upgrades that we bought with telephone cameras over the past decade — I can not wait.
