Beyond smartphones: How AR glasses with voice payment technology are shaping the future of commerce

In an increasingly digital world, the convergence of augmented reality (AR) glasses and voice payment technology is profoundly disrupting how consumers shop. This transformative combination is not just a technological novelty, but a fundamental reinvention of the shopping experience that goes far beyond smartphones. From Meizu's revolutionary innovation with its voice-command payment glasses to the broader implications for the digital transformation of retail, this emerging technology promises to redefine consumer behaviour while presenting new opportunities and challenges for merchants worldwide.

The voice payment revolution: understanding Meizu's breakthrough

The retail industry recently witnessed a significant milestone in wearable payment technology when Meizu announced the world's first offline payment function for AR glasses on April 29, 2025. Initially integrated into their StarV Air2 smart glasses, this innovation allows users to conduct transactions simply by stating a voice command, thus eliminating the need to use a smartphone or a physical payment card.

"After a user states a payment confirmation command, the merchant instantly receives the payment from the smart glasses," Meizu explained in its announcement (PR Newswire, 2025). This feature is the result of a deep collaboration between Meizu and the cross-border payment technology team at Ant International Alipay+, leveraging cutting-edge payment technology with AR capabilities such as optical waveguide display technology and voice recognition.

The StarV Air2 glasses, which feature "the world’s smallest Micro LED display system and tempered glass optical waveguide lenses" (PR Newswire, 2025), have already captured an impressive 41.5% of the AR smart glasses market in China. The payment functionality is expected to roll out gradually in the third quarter of 2025, with plans to include it in all new smart glasses launched by Meizu this year.

This innovation represents more than just a new payment method—it signals a fundamental shift towards device autonomy, where AR glasses begin to replace smartphones for essential daily tasks. By enabling fully hands-free payments, Meizu is tackling a critical limitation of current wearable technology and making a significant step towards truly independent AR glasses.

How the AR glasses payment technology really works

The integration of payment capabilities into AR glasses relies on a sophisticated combination of technologies working in concert. Meizu's system utilizes several key components to create a seamless payment experience:

The core of the system is advanced natural language processing that allows the glasses to accurately interpret payment commands, even in noisy environments. The system analyses voice patterns for user authentication while filtering out background noise.

The AR display provides visual feedback during the transaction, showing payment amounts, merchant information, and confirmation screens directly in the user's field of vision.

Biometric verification (voice pattern recognition or iris scanning) provides security comparable to facial recognition systems on smartphones. This is a critical element as biometric payment methods are expected to be used in 65% of transactions by 2027 (Number Analytics, 2023).

Integration with Alipay+ allows for connectivity to existing payment networks and financial institutions, ensuring compatibility with the current payment infrastructure while adding the AR layer.

Merchants require compatible point-of-sale terminals or software updates to recognize and process payments initiated by AR glasses, similar to how contactless payments are handled.

The technical architecture prioritizes both speed and security, with transactions typically completed in under three seconds. Although initially compatible mainly with the Alipay+ technology used in Asian markets, including Indonesia’s Doku wallet, Macau’s Mpay, and South Korea’s Naver Pay (NotebookCheck, 2025), the system architecture lays the groundwork for broader integration with international payment networks.

The consumer experience: convenience and learning curve

For consumers, voice-activated AR payment glasses represent a spectacular simplification of the shopping process. Instead of fumbling for a wallet or phone, shoppers can simply look at a payment terminal and issue a voice command. This hands-free convenience is particularly valuable in situations where physical interactions are limited—whether carrying grocery bags, attending to children, or navigating crowded spaces.

Consumer adoption data suggests that users of voice technology are already predisposed to embrace such innovations. Voice assistant users are 33% more likely to have made an online purchase in the past week than average consumers, and 51% more likely to have ordered a meal via a delivery app (GWI, 2025). Additionally, 66% of voice assistant users say they prefer online shopping to in-store shopping, with more than half having made an online purchase in the past week (GWI, 2025).

Demographic patterns of voice technology use reveal important insights into adoption potential. Currently, those aged 25-49 are the most active users of voice technology, followed by those aged 18-24 (PwC, 2023). This suggests that active professionals who value efficiency may be the first to adopt AR payment glasses. Despite their accessibility everywhere, 74% of consumers use their mobile voice assistants at home, many preferring the intimacy of speaking to their voice assistant (PwC, 2023)—a preference that may initially limit public use of the voice payment feature.

Consumer satisfaction with existing voice commerce is encouraging for the adoption of AR glasses payment: 80% of customers report being satisfied when making purchases via smart voice systems (ProfileTree, 2024). According to a Mastercard study, around 17 million people in the UK are ready to pay with wearable devices, and 26% anticipate initiating payments via this method (Market.us, 2024).

However, potential barriers to adoption include the learning curve associated with new interaction models and concerns about voicing payment commands in public places. Overcoming these hurdles will require thoughtful design of the user experience and educating consumers on the security and privacy features of the technology.

Privacy and security considerations in wearable payment systems

As with any payment technology, security and privacy are paramount concerns for both consumers and merchants. AR payment glasses present unique security considerations that differ from traditional payment methods.

The integration of visual, audio, and financial data into a single portable device raises complex privacy issues. With 23% of American internet users refusing to share their personal information online regardless of the benefits (Determ, 2024), AR glasses manufacturers must implement robust data protection measures to gain consumers' trust.

Voice recognition and potentially iris scanning serve as primary authentication methods, replacing PIN codes or signatures. These biometric identifiers offer high security but must be protected against sophisticated spoofing attempts. The growth of biometric payment methods—which are expected to be used in 65% of transactions by 2027 (Number Analytics, 2023)—highlights the importance of standardized security protocols.

AR interfaces must provide clear and unambiguous transaction details before payment confirmation. The visual display capabilities of glasses like the StarV Air2 allow for detailed payment information to be presented directly in the user's field of vision, potentially reducing fraud compared to purely voice systems.

Payment systems must navigate complex international financial regulations. Currently, most wearable payment regulations are adaptations of existing mobile payment frameworks, but specialized regulations for AR payment systems are likely to emerge as the technology becomes mainstream.

The financial industry is addressing these concerns with advanced security features like biometric voice recognition that ensure secure transactions, which contributes to the expansion of voice payments (Market.us, 2024). As awareness of data privacy issues grows, consumers have become more cautious about sharing personal information (Amra and Elma, 2025), making it essential to establish trust through robust security for widespread adoption.

Implications for the global market: beyond Asian payment ecosystems

Although Meizu's pioneering AR payment system is initially integrated with Alipay+ for Asian markets, the implications extend well beyond regional borders. The global market for this technology is substantial and experiencing rapid growth:

• The global market for AR and VR smart glasses is expected to reach $45.03 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate of 15.36% starting in 2025 (Verified Market Research, 2024)

• By 2025, the AR glasses market is estimated at $50.82 billion, reaching $120.87 billion by 2033 with a compound annual growth rate of 11.44% (Straits Research, 2024)

• The wearable payment devices market was valued at $57.98 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.1% from 2025 to 2030 (Grand View Research, 2024)

• The voice-based payment market is expected to reach $13.34 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.5% (Market.us, 2024)

These figures reflect not only the growth of individual technology segments but also their powerful convergence. The challenge for Western markets will be to integrate AR payment glasses into established payment networks like Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Cultural differences in payment preferences will also influence adoption rates, with some markets favouring contactless cards while others more readily embraced mobile payments.

International standardization efforts will be crucial to create a cohesive global ecosystem. Several standardization bodies are working on frameworks for AR commerce, including payment protocols that would allow interoperability between devices from different manufacturers and various payment processors.

The potential for AR payment glasses to disrupt international transfers and cross-border payments is particularly significant. By integrating real-time currency conversion with seamless payment authorization, these devices could simplify transactions for international travellers and businesses operating globally, addressing a long-standing pain point in traditional payment systems.

Transforming retail: how merchants are adapting to wearable payments

For retailers, AR payment glasses represent both an opportunity and a challenge for adaptation. The technology promises to reduce friction at checkout, potentially increasing conversion rates and average transaction values. However, it also requires investment in compatible infrastructure and staff training.

Forward-thinking merchants are already preparing for this transformation:

• 63% of retailers have optimized their websites for voice search to improve customer experience in the digital age (World Metrics, 2024)

• By 2025, the global retail industry is expected to invest $47 billion in digital transformation initiatives (World Metrics, 2024)

• 85% of retail executives believe digital transformation is critical to their business survival (World Metrics, 2024)

The global market for retail digital transformation is expected to reach $285.76 billion by 2025, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 17.32% to reach $635.12 billion by 2030 (Edstellar, 2025), reflecting the industry's commitment to adopting technologies like AR payment systems. Retailers that have implemented digital transformation initiatives have seen an average revenue increase of 15% (World Metrics, 2024), suggesting potential significant returns on investments in AR payments.

To adapt to AR payment glasses, retailers need to consider several adjustments, including upgrading point-of-sale terminals, training staff, store layout considerations with signage indicating AR payment compatibility, and integration with loyalty programs.

The most innovative retailers go beyond mere payment processing to explore how AR glasses can enhance the overall shopping experience, from product information overlays to personalized promotions based on viewing patterns and customer purchase history.

Competitive landscape: who will follow in Meizu's footsteps?

Meizu's groundbreaking announcement has accelerated what was already a competitive race to develop commercially viable AR payment glasses. Several major tech players and startups are poised to enter this space.

On the side of established tech companies, Apple has been developing AR glasses that would likely integrate with Apple Pay, Google continues to develop AR after its Glass project and has payment infrastructure with Google Pay, Meta may expand its Ray-Ban smart glasses partnership to include payment capabilities, and Samsung has announced plans to launch AR smart glasses in 2025 (Straits Research, 2024).

Payment specialists like Visa and Mastercard are investing in wearable payment technologies, PayPal is exploring integration with various wearable devices, and Square/Block is focusing on merchant-side infrastructure for next-generation payments.

In the AR specialist realm, Magic Leap offers an enterprise-focused AR platform with payment integration potential, Vuzix is developing business-oriented smart glasses with expanding capabilities, and Nreal is gaining market share with its consumer AR glasses.

The competitive landscape is further complicated by potential partnerships between technology providers and financial institutions. The most successful approaches are likely to involve collaborations combining AR hardware expertise, payment processing infrastructure, and merchant relationships.

While Meizu currently has the first-mover advantage with a functional implementation, the company's limited presence outside of Asia may create opportunities for other players to dominate Western markets. Conversely, Meizu's partnership with Alipay+ provides a solid foundation for expansion beyond their domestic market.

Technological convergence: when payments meet visual AR and AI assistants

The true potential of AR payment glasses emerges when payment functionality is seamlessly integrated with other AR capabilities and artificial intelligence. This convergence creates a comprehensive shopping assistant that can offer product information, suggest personalized recommendations, manage budgets, navigate retail environments, and even translate foreign currencies and languages.

The AI capabilities of these systems are rapidly expanding. Meizu's StarV glasses integrate with multiple AI models, including the Flyme AI model developed by the company as well as third-party platforms from Alibaba Cloud, ByteDance, and Baidu (PR Newswire, 2025), providing a foundation for sophisticated shopping assistance.

The market for AI-generated content that could enhance these experiences is also experiencing rapid growth. The global market for 3D image generators, which creates visual assets for AR experiences, is expected to reach $2,114.84 million by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of 23.52% (Market Research Future, 2025).

This technological convergence creates what some industry analysts call "ambient commerce"—a shopping experience where the boundaries between physical and digital commerce blur entirely, and where AI assistants proactively support purchasing decisions through contextually relevant suggestions delivered via AR interfaces.

The road to widespread adoption: challenges and opportunities

Despite the promising technology and market projections, several challenges must be addressed before AR payment glasses achieve widespread adoption.

Technically, battery life to power screens, processors, and communication systems in a small form factor, connectivity to maintain reliable internet connections for payment processing, and miniaturization to further reduce size and weight of components for all-day wear remain major challenges.

Market challenges include price points, as AR glasses remain costly for mass adoption, fashion and design considerations that remain crucial for wearable technology, and retail infrastructure, with widespread merchant adoption requiring substantial investments.

Behavioural challenges concern privacy concerns related to public acceptance of wearable cameras and microphones, learning curves to establish intuitive interaction patterns for various user groups, and social norms to develop acceptable etiquette for using AR glasses in public spaces.

Despite these challenges, several factors suggest a pathway to widespread adoption. Projected growth in smart speaker ownership to 75% of households by 2025 (Invoca, 2025) indicates increasing comfort with voice technology. The number of smart glasses users in the United States is expected to increase from 12.61 million in 2023 to 14.39 million by 2025 (Coolest Gadgets, 2025), showing growing consumer interest in this format.

AR wearable devices are expected to account for 25% of the global smart wearable devices market by 2025 (Scoop.Market.us, 2025), suggesting that AR glasses are transitioning from niche products to mainstream devices. As production volumes increase and technologies mature, lower prices will make AR payment glasses accessible to broader consumer segments.

Future prospects: will AR glasses replace smartphones for payments?

Looking towards 2030 and beyond, one question arises: will AR glasses eventually replace smartphones as our primary payment devices? While a complete replacement seems unlikely in the short term, several trends suggest that AR glasses will capture a significant share of payment transactions.

Ongoing miniaturization will make AR glasses increasingly comfortable and socially acceptable for all-day wear. Integration with other wearable devices like smartwatches could create ecosystem effects that encourage adoption. Generational shifts may favour AR interfaces as digital natives who grew up with smartphones enter the main consumer demographics. And advancements in AI will make voice and gesture interactions more natural and intuitive.

The future payment landscape will likely feature multiple modalities, with consumers choosing different payment methods based on context. AR glasses could become the preferred option for in-store retail, while smartphones or other devices remain common for online purchases or specific scenarios.

Emerging financial technologies will also shape this future. Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are gaining traction, with at least 14 major economies expected to launch CBDCs by 2025 (Number Analytics, 2023), creating new opportunities for retail payment processing. Embedded finance is another growing trend, with payment functionalities increasingly integrated directly into non-financial applications and platforms for seamless shopping experiences (Number Analytics, 2023).

By 2025, e-commerce is expected to account for 21% of total global retail sales (Amra and Elma, 2025), and retail executives prioritize accelerating digital transformation and omnichannel capabilities to enable more personalized customer experiences (Deloitte, 2025). AR payment glasses are positioned to become a critical component of this transformed commercial landscape, linking physical and digital shopping experiences in ways that smartphones cannot match.

Conclusion: preparing for the future of voice-command payments

Integrating payment capabilities into AR glasses represents a significant evolution in how we interact with technology and commerce. While Meizu's pioneering implementation marks an important milestone, it is merely the beginning of a broader transformation that will reshape shopping experiences worldwide.

For consumers, AR payment glasses offer unprecedented convenience and contextual information that can enhance purchasing decisions. For retailers, they provide opportunities to reduce friction, gather valuable data, and create differentiated experiences. For technology and financial service providers, they represent a new frontier for innovation and competition.

As this technology continues to mature, success will depend not only on technical capabilities but also on considering human factors—trust, ease of use, and social acceptance. The companies that navigate these challenges effectively will shape a future where the boundaries between digital and physical commerce disappear, and where payments become as simple as a glance and a word.

The voice payment revolution has begun, and AR glasses are paving the way beyond smartphones towards a more seamless and integrated commercial future.