Xiaomi has started the augmented reality race with a high-resolution wireless headset.

Virtual, augmented and mixed reality are exciting worlds that often lack computing power and thoughtful application concepts. Despite the controversial market, Xiaomi has introduced the Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition, a compact headset that uses the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1 processor as the Quest Pro. The company says these “sunglasses” offer an elegant way to combine the digital and real worlds without requiring a physical connection to a smartphone.

Made of a magnesium-titanium alloy and carbon fiber parts, the headset weighs 126 g. It features a custom silicon-oxygen anode battery, which Xiaomi says will reduce the physical strain on the user (with the common perception that more than 100 g is still too much for extended wear).

The headset has a pair of high-pixel-density microOLED displays connected to two light-guiding prisms. The company claims reduced brightness loss compared to its peers, with a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. For total immersion, the front lenses are electrochromic, automatically dimming when you need to focus on the virtual world.

Improved hand tracking provides a new form of user interaction with virtual objects. In the concept video, the user turns off smart lighting by flicking a virtual switch floating in the air.
The emergence of these AR glasses is also part of Qualcomm’s plans to use the Snapdragon Spaces platform to improve mixed reality devices. The Xiaomi headset, when paired with a compatible device such as the new Xiaomi 13, promises low enough latency that the user won’t notice the lack of a wire. The company says it will work closely with developers to speed up the emergence of a decent AR environment. Unfortunately, no word on the price or availability of the device.