CES Predictions for XR: Key Trends and Technologies We Expect to See

The next CES will feature more than 4,300 exhibitors, including approximately 270 specializing in Extended Reality (XR). Expect updates on hardware, headsets, components, software, and computer vision, demonstrating how XR can seamlessly integrate into daily routines, enterprise workflows, and entertainment, underscoring a more mature market that moves beyond novelty and toward practical, scalable solutions.

CES 2025 is likely to highlight a general shift toward more user-friendly Mixed Reality (MR) devices, reflecting a market maturation focused on practicality, rather than spectacle. XREAL, for instance, is expected to present the XREAL One, emphasizing comfort and integrated compute features that enhance contextual awareness and ease of use. Instead of unveiling purely conceptual models, most exhibitors will likely concentrate on incremental improvements in hardware design, durability, and interoperability. Overall, these developments suggest a more predictable era for XR, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) standing as the core enabler of intuitive, everyday experiences.

A particular technology that will be most seen are AI glasses, such as those from the Meta Ray-Ban collaboration. Likely vendors for similar technologies are Amazon with its Echo Frames, and Huawei and its Gentle Monster Eye Wear. Other Asia-Pacific-based companies have been announcing their AI smart glasses, such as Baidu and Brilliant Labs, to rival Meta Ray-Bans. Alongside this wave of AI-first glasses, Android XR will be expected to make its debut following its recent announcement.

This shift toward more practical and AI-centric XR solutions stands to accelerate both consumer and enterprise adoption, as devices become less cumbersome and more naturally integrated into workflows. For consumers, the rising availability of “no display” AI-first glasses could reduce initial barriers to entry and bolster everyday use cases, ranging from navigation to contextual information overlays, without the perceived complexity of traditional headsets. As these devices become more affordable, portable, and contextually aware, consumers might rely on them for everyday activities: getting real-time translations, following step-by-step navigation, or accessing on-the-spot product information, without feeling overwhelmed or self-conscious. Android XR poises itself perfectly in this scenario by leveraging its well-established ecosystem, familiar development environment, and broad community support. As the market shifts toward more user-friendly, AI-driven XR solutions, Android’s extensive toolkits and infrastructure can help lower the barriers to entry for both developers and consumers. Expect hardware and software partners to showcase new offerings at the show, especially Samsung.

On the enterprise side, incremental improvements in durability, interoperability, and contextual awareness are likely to streamline training, remote assistance, and productivity applications, enabling businesses to realize clearer returns on XR investments. Companies that have partnered together, such as Siemens and Sony, will be expected to showcase these applications. These improvements in durability, interoperability, and data handling could enable broader deployment of training modules, remote assistance tools, and productivity applications, making it easier to maintain these systems at scale. Overall, the industry’s focus on usability and AI-driven insights may not only enhance user satisfaction, but also promote standardization and stable, long-term growth in the XR ecosystem.

Across the market, this deeper emphasis on usability and AI-driven personalization may serve as a catalyst for both industry standardization and consumer trust. At CES, announcements such as Samsung and Google’s collaborative debut of the Gemini platform for XR headsets, built on the Android XR ecosystem, are expected to illustrate how new, standardized frameworks can seamlessly integrate with existing mobile and enterprise workflows. This will likely be showcased through training modules, remote assistance tools, and productivity apps that scale efficiently, offering a tangible glimpse of XR’s practical and sustainable future. By aligning products more closely with real-world needs—and ensuring these solutions can operate reliably at scale, companies can move beyond the experimental phase into a period of stable, predictable growth. As XR technologies mature in this manner, we can anticipate a self-reinforcing cycle: better products inspire more confident investments, which, in turn, drive the development of even more refined solutions and standards, paving the way for XR’s long-term, sustainable presence in our daily lives and professional environments.

While the path ahead isn’t entirely set, there are some clear opportunities worth noting. As XR devices continue to mature, prioritizing comfort, compatibility with existing platforms, and gradual enhancements in hardware and software might foster steadier growth, rather than relying on any single, hype-driven launch. For enterprise buyers, seeking solutions that slot into existing workflows without significant retraining or Information Technology (IT) overhauls could translate into more tangible returns, as well as reduce hesitation in adoption. On the investment and partnership fronts, aligning efforts with the ongoing shift toward AI-driven contextual awareness may help stakeholders navigate the market’s uncertainty, positioning them to pivot more smoothly as conditions evolve. In short, taking a measured approach, focusing on integration, usability, and incremental gains, may prove more sustainable than chasing show-stopping innovations that have yet to find their footing.

As the dust settles from CES and early impressions begin to fade, it’s worth stepping back and thinking about how to make the most of what’s been shown. Rather than treating predictions as a set of fixed outcomes, consider them starting points for conversations, prototypes, and smaller-scale experiments. Use the insights from walking the show floor, be it a quietly impressive AI integration, a surprisingly ergonomic headset, or an enterprise tool that genuinely fits into established workflows, to guide measured follow-ups with vendors, designers, and engineers. This is a chance to refine criteria for success, ask more informed questions, and gauge where real momentum lies once the spotlight dims. Over time, a pattern often emerges: certain technologies steadily prove their worth through incremental wins, partnerships that stick, and end users who return, not because they were dazzled, but because the product simply works.