Sony has initiated the transfer of 419 patents related to virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies to Meta. Between June and September 2026, 43 of these patents, all registered in the United States, have already been handed over to the company.
The portfolio includes 180 patents registered in the US, with the remainder originating from Japan, China, Korea, Europe, and other regions. This move signals a shift in Sony's strategic focus regarding its XR development plans.
Sony currently maintains its existing hardware lineup, including the PlayStation VR2 headset released in 2023 and the enterprise-focused Sony SRH-S1 mixed reality device, developed in partnership with Siemens and powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 platform.
The company previously served as an exclusive supplier of OLEDoS displays for the Apple Vision Pro and provided OLED panels for the Samsung Galaxy XR. However, Sony declined Apple's request to expand its OLEDoS production capacity.
Meta continues to scale its AR hardware business, with plans to launch new VR glasses in 2027 for $1299 and AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses priced at $349. Meta currently holds an 81% share of the global AI glasses market.
According to Omdia, global shipments of AI glasses reached 4.2 million units in the first half of 2026, marking a 127% year-over-year increase. The Chinese market saw 520,000 units shipped, representing a 306% growth compared to the previous year.
