ByteDance Halts Douyin AI Glasses Project in February, R&D Investment Exceeded 50 Million Yuan, Previously Denied Shipping Rumors

Gate News reports that on March 16, ByteDance internally confirmed the suspension of the Doubao AI Glasses project in February. The product line will no longer be pursued as a definitive direction within the visible cycle. The project was co-developed by ByteDance and OEM manufacturer Longqi Technology. The glasses weigh less than 50 grams, equipped with a self-developed spatial algorithm chip, and have a starting price under 2,000 yuan. The non-display version was originally scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2026, with the display version following in the fourth quarter. Longqi’s minimum order quantity requirement is 1 million units. ByteDance has invested over 50 million yuan in R&D for this project. In January this year, Blue Whale News reported that the product was “about to ship,” but on the same day, Doubao officials denied the rumor to Yicai, stating “the rumors are false, and there is no clear sales plan at this time.” The main reason for the suspension is ByteDance’s internal assessment that AI glasses currently cannot achieve true differentiation. The glasses follow a screenless approach, mainly interacting via voice, with functions highly overlapping with the Ola Friend AI earphones (priced at 1,199 yuan) launched by ByteDance in 2024. Industry-wise, a certain manufacturer’s smart glasses are projected to sell over 7 million units globally in 2025, capturing 73% of the market share. Later entrants will find it difficult to create fundamental hardware differences. Previously, Vivo also halted its AI glasses project for the same reason: “difficult to differentiate.”