Smart glasses shipments surge GLOBAL smart glasses shipments jumped 110% year-on-year in H1 2025, according to Counterpoint’s global model tracker. Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses led demand, with AI-powered models making up 78% of total shipments, up from 46% a year ago. Shipments of AI smart glasses rose over 250% year-on-year, outpacing the rest of the market. Meta expanded its market share to 73%, driven by strong sales of Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses and increased production at Luxottica. New entrants like Xiaomi, TCL-RayNeo, Thunderobot, and Kopin also launched AI smart glasses, with Xiaomi’s model ranking among the top sellers despite a limited sales window. Meta, Alibaba, and potentially Apple are expected to launch new AI smart glasses later this year. Counterpoint forecasts the market will keep growing through 2029. Klook eyes IPO KLOOK, a Hong Kong-based travel booking platform, is preparing for a possible initial public offering (IPO) in the U.S., according to people familiar with the matter. The company, which is backed by investors including SoftBank Group and Goldman Sachs, has hired Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JP Morgan to arrange the planned IPO. Sources said the share sale could take place as early as this year and may raise about US$500 million. Klook reported turning a profit in 2023 and raised US$100 million in a funding round led by Vitruvian Partners in February, though its valuation was not disclosed. The firm competes with Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Trip.com, and Yanolja in the global travel booking market. | 