As AI and wearables advance toward deeper integration, coupled with momentum driven by major market players, TrendForce estimates that global AR glasses shipments will surge to 950,000 units in 2026, a whopping increase of 53% year over year. Weight plays a crucial role in shaping the user experience of AR glasses, making lightweight design a key driver for the AR industry to enter the mass market and achieve large-scale deployment.
Recently, TrendForce spoke with Huang Weizheng, Marketing Director at Meta-Bounds, to gain insights into the company’s latest product and technology developments.
Meta-Bounds, founded on November 23, 2021, is a high-tech company specializing in core AR technologies and high-precision mass production. Currently operating across five locations, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Hong Kong, Wuhu, and Jiangyin, the company has also expanded its global footprint to Silicon Valley in the US and Singapore. The founding team has been actively involved in the AR field for years, navigating key technologies such as optical displays and perception-based interaction.
Pioneering Resin Diffractive Waveguide Technology
Meta-Bounds’ world-first resin diffractive waveguide technology features well-rounded technological advancements in design, material science, and manufacturing techniques, achieving industry-leading performance in terms of optical effects, lightweight designs, and impact resistance.
Resin wafers significantly outperform glass or silicon carbide alternatives in terms of weight, safety, and cost structures. Resin-based waveguides benefit from a much lighter form, dramatically reducing the overall weight of AR glasses, thereby effectively improving user wearing comfort. The resin approach also brings stronger impact resistance, ensuring user safety in real-life scenarios and delivering a longer service life.
Regarding resin wafer sizes, Meta-Bounds has successfully garnered production capabilities from 8-inch to 12-inch wafers. A single monolithic 8-inch wafer can yield 6-8 waveguides, while its 12-inch line delivers an increased output of 15-20 waveguides per wafer. This leap forward has elevated its production capacity to a new level and considerably reduced manufacturing costs. In terms of refractive performance, Meta-Bounds has achieved an outstanding refractive index of over 1.7 for these resin waveguides, with further breakthroughs anticipated within this year.
End-to-End Design and Production Capabilities to Deliver Lighter AR Glasses
With its world-first resin diffractive waveguide technology in focus, Meta-Bounds has developed end-to-end design and production capabilities spanning core optical components, optical systems, and device-level high-volume manufacturing. The company plays a key role in supporting the development of high-performance, lightweight, and commercially viable AR glasses for its partners. National and international leading brands, such as Lenovo, OPPO, and SoftBank, have all partnered with Meta-Bounds, collaboratively launching several consumer-grade AR glasses that mark a new milestone for the industry.
At CES 2026, Meta-Bounds demonstrated “the world’s lightest stylish personalized AI+AR glasses at 25g” and “the world’s lightest full-color multi-functional AI+AR glasses at 38g.”
Meta-Bounds’ 25g monochromatic green AR glasses (left) and 38g full-color AR glasses (right)
At only 25g, Meta-Bounds’ stylish personalized AI+AR glasses are the world’s lightest. By leveraging the company’s pioneering resin diffractive waveguide technology, these glasses achieve a 50% weight reduction, compared with traditional approaches. Moreover, this solution adopts a monocular monochromatic green Micro LED optical engine and Meta-Bounds’ innovative full lamination technology, allowing the waveguides to deliver 98% transmittance.
Meta-Bounds’ full-color multi-functional AI+AR glasses redefine binocular polychromatic AI-integrated AR glasses with a weight of merely 38g, becoming the first in the global industry to achieve an ideal integration of “multi-functionality and lightweight design.” This solution combines high-refractive-index resin waveguide technology with monolithic full-color Micro LED optical engines to enable colorful displays while eliminating the rainbow effects commonly seen in diffractive waveguides.
Driven by growing demand, Meta-Bounds has faced pressure from tight supply at its Zhuhai base. The company said that it has ramped up capacity in Jiangyin and Wuhu and plans to establish new facilities in Southeast Asia to further expand its footprint in overseas markets.
A Look at the Future
Looking ahead, Meta-Bounds said that it will continue to consolidate foundational optical technologies and advance its end-to-end expertise from design to mass production. Together with an expanding network of ecosystem partners, the company aims to drive more AR product breakthroughs that deliver lightweight designs and unparalleled optical experiences. These cutting-edge AR innovations, embodied by “Lighten by Meta-Bounds,” are poised to brighten every individual’s digital life.
TrendForce 2025 Near-Eye Display Market Trend and Technology Analysis
Publication Date : 29 August 2025
Language : Traditional Chinese / English
Format : PDF
Page Number: 168
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