ZH reported, citing a May 11 report from China Daily.

For more than a decade, the smartphone has defined how people interact with the digital world.

But a new wave of AI hardware suggests that this dominance may not last forever.

Across China’s manufacturing hubs, a rapidly expanding industry around AI-powered smart glasses is beginning to reshape expectations for the next computing platform.

Recent global data shows that shipments of AI glasses have surged dramatically, driven by advances in lightweight design, real-time translation, and embedded artificial intelligence features.

One Chinese city in particular has emerged as a central production base for this new category of devices.

Dongguan, long known as a global electronics manufacturing center, now accounts for nearly half of global AI glasses production.

What was once called the “world’s factory” is increasingly becoming a hub for intelligent wearable technology.

This shift signals something broader than a hardware trend.

It suggests that the next major computing platform may not sit in your pocket — but on your face.

Why AI Glasses Could Replace the Smartphone as the Next Computing Platform

For the past 15 years, the smartphone has been the dominant interface between humans and the digital economy.

It shaped everything from communication to commerce, entertainment, and artificial intelligence deployment.

But a structural shift is now emerging in the next generation of computing platforms.

Instead of being centered on handheld devices, the future of AI interaction is increasingly moving toward wearable systems — with smart glasses at the center of this transition.

From Screens to Surrounding Intelligence

The smartphone era is defined by a simple concept:

humans interact with information through a screen.

AI glasses represent a fundamentally different model.

Rather than requiring active input through touchscreens, they enable:

• real-time visual augmentation
• continuous environmental sensing
• voice-driven interaction
• AI-assisted contextual information delivery

This shifts computing from a “pull” model to a “surrounding intelligence” model.

In this framework, AI is no longer something users open.

It is something that is continuously present.

China’s Manufacturing Advantage in AI Wearables

One of the most important drivers of this transition is not software — but hardware manufacturing capability.

A major global production base for AI glasses has emerged in Dongguan, which now produces nearly half of global shipments in this category.

Historically known as a “world factory” for electronics, the city has evolved into a fully integrated smart hardware ecosystem covering:

• optical systems
• camera modules
• acoustic components
• lightweight structural materials
• mainboard integration
• complete device assembly and testing

This end-to-end industrial capability allows rapid scaling of new hardware categories — a key advantage in fast-moving consumer AI markets.

The Rise of AI as a Wearable Interface

AI glasses are not just another consumer electronics category.

They represent a new interface layer for artificial intelligence.

Unlike smartphones, which require deliberate user engagement, AI glasses aim to integrate intelligence directly into daily perception.

Core features include:

• real-time language translation
• object recognition and contextual information overlays
• AI-powered navigation assistance
• hands-free communication systems

This transforms AI from a tool into a continuous companion layer embedded in physical experience.

Why This Platform Shift Matters

Every major computing era has been defined by its dominant interface:

• PC era → keyboard and mouse
• Mobile era → touchscreen
• AI wearable era → ambient visual and voice interfaces

If AI glasses become widely adopted, they could represent a shift as significant as the transition from desktop to mobile computing.

The key difference is that this platform is not just digital — it is spatial.

It blends computation with perception itself.

The Competitive Landscape Is Already Forming

The rapid growth of AI glasses is being driven by a combination of:

• advances in miniaturized sensors
• improved battery efficiency
• AI model optimization for edge devices
• and large-scale manufacturing ecosystems

Global shipments have already reached millions of units annually, with strong year-on-year growth rates indicating early-stage exponential adoption.

While the market is still emerging, competition is intensifying around design, comfort, and real-world usability rather than just computational power.

From Smartphones to Spatial Computing

The long-term implication is that computing may be moving from a device-centered model to a spatial model.

In this future:

• information is layered onto the real world
• AI systems operate continuously in the background
• user interaction becomes primarily voice and vision-based
• physical and digital environments converge

AI glasses are one of the earliest manifestations of this shift.

The Bigger Picture

The rise of AI wearables suggests a deeper transformation in the technology stack:

• AI is moving from software to embodied systems
• computing is shifting from screens to environments
• and interaction is evolving from active input to passive assistance

Whether AI glasses ultimately replace smartphones is still uncertain.

But what is clear is that the center of gravity in computing is shifting again.

And this time, it may not sit in your hand — but in your field of view.