The Chinese tech giant is looking to stake a claim on the AR scene.

Augmented reality, referring to technology that allows you to overlay a screen on your real view, is one of the largest burgeoning sectors of modern tech. Major cell phone developers have experimented with the function through smartphone apps, but the ultimate goal is creating a wearable device. Microsoft and Google are currently developing their own AR glasses prototypes, and now Chinese tech giant Xiaomi are throwing their hat in the ring as well.

Xiaomi shows off its new wireless AR glasses https://t.co/7qKDowtJvl pic.twitter.com/6fmGw38KSy

— Engadget (@engadget) February 27, 2023

This morning, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Xiaomi unveiled the prototype version of their own AR glasses model, the Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition. According to Xiaomi, this proprietary tech can easily connect to a user’s smartphone and render objects with crystal-clear clarity thanks to its retina-level display. Since it’s only a prototype, this model won’t be made available for purchase, but it shows the start of Xiaomi’s genuine commitment to the concept.

“This kind of interaction showcases one of the directions that Xiaomi believes human-computer interaction will take in the future,” the company said in a statement.

An early start in the upcoming AR headset race. https://t.co/UXqSeLSuU5

— Mashable (@mashable) February 27, 2023

“It’s a widespread view in the technology industry that AR smart glasses could be the next major form of mobile computing after the smartphone,” Leo Gebbie, analyst at CCS Insight, told CNBC about the AR sector.

“Xiaomi’s new AR glasses feel more like a stake in the ground than a meaningful product launch. Chinese rivals including Oppo and TCL have also shown off AR devices and it’s clear no one wants to get left behind.”