Plenty of critics, still a success: sales of smart glasses have quadrupled
Galaxus and Digitec have already sold four times as many augmented reality (AR) glasses this year as they did during the same period last year. The best-selling camera glasses are from Ray-Ban and Xreal. What’s more, 90 per cent of devices are purchased by one particular gender alone.
Augmented reality experienced through a pair of glasses: Google launched its Glass device back in 2014 (article in German). An abject failure. But 2026 could mark the true beginning of the smart glass era, as artificial intelligence is making these devices smarter than ever before. Deaf people can now read conversations in real time and be part of them like never before. Thanks to a camera and speakers, blind users can have their surroundings described to them (article in German). The downside? Some smart glass users record people who don’t want to be filmed and post the videos illegally (article in German).
Widespread adoption may be on the horizon. By 2026, smart glasses have already sold in the millions worldwide, according to the manufacturers (article in German). At Galaxus, sales this year have also quadrupled compared to the same period last year (+307 per cent). Several thousand units were ordered between January and September. The most popular brands: Ray-Ban, Xreal and RayNeo, followed by Viture and Oakley. Smart glasses are primarily a man’s market, with 87 per cent of them purchased by male users.
What about the naysayers?
Criticism of the glasses is coming from politicians, among others. In September, Swiss National Council member Raphaël Mahaim (Greens) submitted a motion calling for a new legal framework. He wants anyone who uses smart glasses to record a person’s image, voice or biometric data will be required to clearly indicate this in the future. If there’s no visible recording indicator that can’t be turned off, it’ll be illegal. Manufacturers would also have to prove, before any sale, that their devices protect privacy. The integration of such glasses with real-time facial recognition is to be temporarily banned – with exceptions, for example, for the visually impaired and industrial applications.
In Germany, criticism comes mainly from data protection officers and consumer protection organisations (article in German). As organisation HateAid puts it, «Technology accelerates digital violence.» In Germany, the Federal Network Agency would be responsible for imposing a ban. However, there’s no legal basis for this (article in German). After all, the misuse of cameras and microphones is also possible with smartphones and other devices. Filming in sensitive areas, such as swimming pools, has long been prohibited.
How should we deal with smart glasses?
«Every new technology brings strengths, weaknesses and unanswered questions. Some of these issues can be addressed through regulation and technical standards, but many can also be addressed by being mindful of how we use them in our daily lives.» This is according to a smart glasses guide published by various universities, institutes and associations (German PDF available for download at unibw.de). According to the guidelines, users of smart glasses should act responsibly. Don’t record secretly, keep recording indicators visible, remove or turn off the glasses in sensitive situations and ask yourself the question: «Would I be allowed to do this with my smartphone?» Individuals subjected to these glasses should assess their specific situation rather than just the device itself, actively communicate their boundaries (e.g., «I don’t want to be recorded»). In the event of a violation of their rights, they should speak to the person involved and, if necessary, involve those in charge as well as the platforms.
The Galaxus editorial team and Community are actively testing and discussing
The Galaxus editorial team is also taking a close look at smart glasses. Editor Lorenz Keller writes: «These voyeur glasses put me in a moral dilemma.» Lorenz has decided not to wear the glasses in public while discourse is ongoing. But of course, he’ll still keep reporting on his tests.
Galaxus users have commented things like, «To be honest, I find it strange that cameras like this are being demonised. Cameras are everywhere […]» (expatriate), «[…] Sorry to the boomers, but we’re not going to get rid of these things […]» (PneuRugeler), «The biggest problem with these **** things is that, as someone who wears regular glasses, I’ll have to keep explaining – or proving – that they don’t have cameras…» (Justa Penguin) or «The problem isn’t the camera; it’s the people who don’t follow the rules […]» (Anonymous Schildkrotus).
There are currently no true bans on smart glasses on the horizon, neither in Germany nor Switzerland. But the discussions about how to handle them certainly aren’t over yet.
A soft spot for good series, loud music, science fiction and (second division) football. As PR Manager, I am available to answer journalists' questions about Galaxus and honest e-commerce.
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