(Yicai) Nov. 11 -- Baidu has started selling its new artificial intelligence smart glasses, the Xiaodu Pro, through online shopping sites JD.Com and Tmall, marking the Chinese tech firm’s return to the category after 11 years.

Priced at CNY2,299 (USD322), the Xiaodu Pro features photography/video capture and AI-powered translation, object recognition, reminders, and recording. But lacking a display, they are not classified as AI augmented reality glasses.

Compared with most AI glasses on the market that support photo/video functions, the Xiaodu Pro does not exhibit any disruptive or unique functionalities, and they are more expensive than than those from Xiaomi, Huawei Technologies, RayNeo, and the Ray-Ban Meta entry model, which costs USD299.

The Xiaodu Pro's competitive edge lies in the systematic output of Baidu's AI ecosystem, including the semantic understanding capabilities of large language models, search and mapping capabilities, voice interaction technology, and the overall user experience, an industry insider familiar with the Beijing-based company told Yicai.

Going forward, Baidu may need to address weaknesses in its distribution chain -- such as partnering with traditional eyewear brands to grow offline retail reach, and improving the online service experience -- so as to deepen the product’s market penetration, the insider added.

“The AI experience of smart glasses is still not as user-friendly as smartphones or AI apps,” Xu Chi, founder of leading Chinese AR glasses maker Xreal, told Yicai. Because a number of technical issues remain to be solved, the user experience and uses for AI glasses still need improvement, he said, adding that any market explosion still needs time and technical accretion.

In 2014, Baidu announced it was developing the BaiduEye smart glasses for use in shopping malls, museums, and other venues. But due to an immature smart ecosystem then and the difficulty in finding practical uses, BaiduEye was never released.

Facing tough competition from tech heavyweights such as Xiaomi, Huawei, and Alibaba Group Holding, Baidu’s release of its first smart glasses in 11 years will test whether the firm’s new AI-powered product can truly earn a place in China’s fast-crowding market.

AI glasses are becoming a competitive hotspot in China's smart products market. Shipments of smart glasses may surge 121 percent to over 2.9 million this year, International Data Corporation has predicted. Nearly 2.17 million will be audio and audio-capturing glasses, and about 742,000 will be AR/virtual reality glasses, up 178 percent and 38 percent, respectively.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione