WAIC 2024 visitors embrace spatial computing with new AR devices
Shot by Dong Jun. Edited by Dong Jun. Reported by Zhu Shenshen. Subtitles by Zhu Shenshen.
Despite scorching temperatures and long queues, enthusiastic visitors flocked to the WAIC 2024 exhibition halls, eager to experience the latest advancements in spatial computing. Many donned recently released devices such as Apple Vision Pro and XReal glasses with Beam Pro, ready to embark on virtual journeys within these immersive worlds.
The exhibits showcased a captivating blend of Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence. Visitors donned AR glasses to embark on virtual museum tours, experience an immersive Euro 2024 match, participate in interactive games, or simply watch a film. The immersive experience highlighted the seamless integration of AR and AI, pushing the boundaries of smart device innovation.
XReal boasts the largest exhibition space among all AR/VR brands at WAIC 2024, in their second year of participation.
"AR is the perfect platform for AI, and AI is the key to enhancing AR interaction," said Xu Chi, cheif executive of XReal.
Xu assisted visitors in testing XReal's AR glasses at WAIC 2024.
XReal boasted the largest exhibition space among all AR/VR brands at WAIC 2024, in their second year of participation. They showcased some new products in China, including the Air 2 Ultra and Beam Pro. Launched just a month ago, the Beam Pro acts as a phone-like device with a touchscreen, app store, and dual-camera design. It allows users to capture spatial computing photos and videos directly and view 3D content through XReal's glasses.
A visitor to WAIC 2024 tries Apple Vision Pro at the Pro Tencent booth.
Apple's highly anticipated AR device, the Vision Pro, went on sale in China last week. The launch brought a wave of excitement for the burgeoning AR market, despite people grappling with the hefty price tag of upwards of 29,999 yuan (US$4,127).
The second floor the of WAIC exhibition space housed a dedicated Metaverse zone, showcasing AR glasses and headsets.
XReal, unlike Apple, focuses on making AR products more accessible, aiming to expand the entire industry by offering more affordable options. At WAIC 2024, they presented AR glasses and content specifically designed for entertainment scenarios such as movie watching and gaming.
Mainstream manufacturers are speeding up integrating spatial computing concepts into various product applications. Combined with rapid advancements in AI technology and declining supply chain costs, the Chinese AR/VR market is poised for significant growth, according to International Data Corp. By 2023, XReal had already captured a 45 percent market share in AR market globally.
On a global scale, IDC predicts the AR market to reach 770,000 units in 2024, reflecting a 60.4 percent year-on-year increase.
