The new generation of AI devices reflects a transition from abstract LLM development toward tangible consumer hardware. Despite rapid progress, the market hasn't produced a breakthrough product: smart glasses, AI speakers, and wearable companions evolve, but user adoption is slowed by unclear utility, high prices, and fragmented ecosystems.

The market, which for two years in a row was driven solely by the race for large models, is finally shifting toward the physical embodiment of artificial intelligence. Companies are unveiling devices in which generative AI is becoming a built-in feature, not a demo app. But despite high consumer attention, this cycle hasn't produced a single clear winner. The technology looks impressive at presentations, but reviews remain lukewarm: innovations exist, but they haven't translated into indispensable products.

Until now, much of the industry has focused not on hardware but on creating algorithms—from chatbots to image and video generation models that work perfectly well on regular smartphones. Therefore, manufacturers are entering the sales season with the goal not so much to impress as to prove that a dedicated device can offer more than just standard apps.

Alexa+: An attempt to bring meaning back to smart speakers

Amazon is entering the season with an updated Echo line and a revamped assistant core. The Alexa+ model, built into the latest devices, aims to address a key user complaint: the previous Alexa was too limited and didn't offer a truly effective assistant.
The new approach is built around more natural dialogue, operation without a constant "wake word," and the ability to perform actions through third-party services—from booking rides to purchasing tickets.

Amazon is demonstrating its willingness to transform its voice assistant into a fully-fledged interface for generative AI. However, access to Alexa+ remains limited: either early access or purchase of new models. The company is also expanding beyond the speaker ecosystem by acquiring wearable AI device developers, hinting at broader ambitions.

Google Pixel 10: A Smartphone as a Natural Environment for AI

Alphabet isn't focusing on a standalone device, but on enhancing the familiar. The Pixel 10 and its Pro line integrate AI into camera features, generative editing, and the voice interface. The Gemini assistant is more deeply integrated than ever, transforming the smartphone into a personal environment where AI is the default.

This approach underscores the market's central idea: many AI scenarios can be realized perfectly on a smartphone, without the need for separate glasses or speakers. Google demonstrates that a smart phone with an AI service subscription is sometimes more cost-effective than similarly priced experimental gadgets.

Ray-Ban Meta: Glasses as the first real attempt to create mass-market AI hardware

The collaboration between Meta and EssilorLuxottica was a rare example of a product that received a warm reception. Meta's camera, voice control, and AI transform the glasses into a device capable of capturing moments, providing prompts, and interacting with the world around them. The second generation emphasizes autonomy and improved optics.

However, even here, the market remains cautious. More expensive versions of the glasses, including the single-display model, require a demonstration in a physical store before purchase—a restriction that reflects the category's immaturity. Reviews are also mixed: users praise the camera and convenience, but criticize the high price and limited app selection.

An AI Friend Around Your Neck: Wearables Go Beyond Productivity

Amidst the backdrop of speakers and glasses, there's a clear attempt to create a device that doesn't so much improve efficiency as accompany the user. The Friend medallion listens to conversations and generates comments that appear in the app. This transforms AI not into a tool, but into a "companion," a concept that evokes both interest and skepticism.

The emergence of such devices demonstrates the industry's attempt to find a new genre—a personal "AI persona" that is as integrated into everyday life as a smartphone.

Plaud Note: A voice recorder that became a software-generative platform

Plaud Note looks simpler than glasses or a smartphone, but it fits a specific and clear purpose: recording and structuring speech. Its long battery life, support for 112 languages, and automatic speaker separation make it a perfect tool for those who need to capture and digitize large amounts of information.

The value comes not so much from the device itself, but from the application, which runs on several major models—GPT-5, Claude, and Gemini. This highlights the trend: hardware is becoming merely a "data collector," with all the complexity occurring in the cloud.

Conclusion

The 2024–2025 season hasn't seen the emergence of a single, decisive device that would replicate the impact of the smartphone in 2007. However, it does clearly indicate a direction: the industry is gradually emerging from its phase of purely software dominance and is beginning to build an ecosystem of physical AI interfaces. Glasses, medallions, smartphones, smart speakers—all are attempts to find a form that will make working with AI natural, rather than experimental.

Despite mixed reviews, this wave of devices is laying the groundwork for the next stage: the transition of generative AI from apps to always-on environments. While none of these solutions has yet become a mass standard, for the first time in two years, the market looks like a platform where hardware is starting to catch up with software.

Written by Ethan Blake
Independent researcher, fintech consultant, and market analyst.

November 24, 2025

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