ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok and Douyin, has reportedly abandoned its first planned Doubao AI glasses and moved directly to two second-generation models, according to supply-chain sources cited by Pandaily.

The original design was scrapped before launch, a sign that ByteDance judged it would not stand out in a market already flooded with camera-equipped AI eyewear from Alibaba, Xiaomi, Baidu, Huawei and Rokid.

The decision highlights the hardware balancing act facing smart glasses makers. Camera quality, battery life, weight and processing power all compete for space inside a frame meant for all-day wear. Meta has spent multiple product generations refining that trade-off through its Ray-Ban and Oakley partnerships.

ByteDance enters the category with one distinct advantage: Doubao is already one of China’s largest consumer AI assistants. A camera-equipped wearable could give that assistant first-person access to the wearer’s surroundings, voice commands, and real-world context. The company also owns PICO, giving it existing XR hardware experience.

Two models would let ByteDance separate a lightweight everyday AI glasses option from a more capable variant with stronger cameras or a display. Neither device has been officially announced, and details around specs, pricing and release remain unclear.

ByteDance has not confirmed either device, but moving straight to two Gen 2 designs suggests the project is moving fast.

Source: The XR Beat