If China is the primary battleground for smart glasses, the China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE) is the front line. Leading manufacturers such as GoerTek, Sunny Optical, and Luxshare Precision were joined by a growing number of mid- and low-tier competitors, signaling a rapidly intensifying race in both hardware and optics, especially in the critical field of optical waveguide technology.

In 2005, Taiwanese electronic company BenQ—then operating under its parent company Qisda—was riding high as the world's fourth-largest mobile phone brand. That momentum led to a bold, if ultimately ill-fated, decision: the acquisition of Siemens' struggling mobile handset division.