WAIC 2024 Visitors to Explore Spatial Computing with New AR Devices

Despite the heat and long lines, enthusiastic visitors flocked to the WAIC 2024 exhibition halls to experience the latest advances in spatial computing, many donning recently released devices such as the Apple Vision Pro and XReal glasses with Beam Pro, ready to virtually travel through these immersive worlds.

The exhibits showcased a fascinating mix of augmented reality and artificial intelligence. Visitors donned AR glasses to embark on virtual museum tours, experience an immersive Euro 2024 match, take part in interactive games or simply watch a film. The immersive experience highlighted the seamless integration of augmented reality and artificial intelligence, pushing the boundaries of innovation in smart devices.

“AR is the ideal platform for AI, and AI is the key to improving AR interactions,” said Xu Chi, CEO of XReal.

Xu helped visitors test XReal’s AR glasses at WAIC 2024.

XReal boasted the largest exhibition space among all AR/VR brands at WAIC 2024, in its second year of participation. It unveiled several new products in China, including the Air 2 Ultra and Beam Pro. Launched just a month ago, the Beam Pro works as a phone-like device with a touchscreen, app store, and dual cameras. It allows users to directly take spatially computed photos and videos and view 3D content through XReal glasses.

Apple’s much-anticipated AR device, the Vision Pro, went on sale in China last week, sending a wave of excitement through the burgeoning AR market even as people struggled with its hefty price tag of over 29,999 yuan ($4,127).

The second floor of the WAIC exhibition space featured a dedicated Metaverse zone showcasing AR glasses and headsets.

XReal, unlike Apple, is focused on making AR products more accessible, aiming to expand the entire industry by offering more affordable options. At WAIC 2024, they showcased AR glasses and content designed specifically for entertainment scenarios like watching movies and gaming.

Mainstream manufacturers are accelerating the integration of spatial computing concepts into various product applications. Coupled with rapid advances in AI technology and falling supply chain costs, China’s AR/VR market is poised for significant growth, according to International Data Corp. By 2023, XReal has already captured 45 percent of the global AR market share.

IDC forecasts that the global augmented reality market will reach 770,000 units in 2024, up 60.4% from the previous year.