CES 2026 recap: contextual AI overtakes displays as the smart glasses industry's focus

At CES 2026 (January 6-9), the dominant theme among smart glasses makers was contextual AI rather than display hardware, according to IDC and Counterpoint recaps. XREAL partnered with Asus ROG to unveil the first smart glasses with a 240Hz display plus a battery/port accessory called XREAL Neo; RayNeo showed the world's first eSIM-enabled AR glasses; Lenovo unveiled a new smart glasses concept for PC/phone connectivity; and Cellid showcased its HJ1 AI glasses alongside a manufacturing partnership with Foxconn aimed at driving down production costs at scale.