Beyond Smartphones: AR Glasses, Brain Chips & the Race to Replace Your Phone
In 2023 global smartphone shipments were about 1.17 billion units, with average replacement cycles exceeding 3 years. AR glasses, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), smart wearables, and ambient computing are identified as the leading contenders to replace or augment smartphones. Apple launched Vision Pro in early 2024 as a $3,499 mixed-reality headset, though its weight, battery life, and lack of apps limited mass-market appeal. IDC projects AR glasses shipments to surpass 5 million by 2027, up from under 1 million in 2023. Meta’s Reality Labs spent more than $10 billion in 2024 pursuing wearable AR glasses. On January 28, 2024, Neuralink implanted
