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Solos

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Solos
Information
Industry Smart glasses, wearable electronics
Founded Spun off from Kopin Corporation in 2019 (the Solos brand was introduced by Kopin in 2015)
Founder John C. C. Fan (founder and executive chairman); co-founders Kenny Cheung, Kenneth Fan, Ernesto Martinez
Headquarters Hong Kong; U.S. principal place of business in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Notable Personnel John C. C. Fan (executive chairman), Kenny Cheung (president), Kenneth Fan (CFO)
Products Solos cycling glasses, AirGo, AirGo 2, AirGo 3, AirGo Vision (AirGo V), AirGo A5, AirGo V2
Website https://solosglasses.com/


Solos is a maker of smart glasses that grew out of Kopin Corporation. The company behind it, Solos Technology Limited, is incorporated in Hong Kong and has its U.S. principal place of business in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[1] Kopin introduced the Solos name in 2015 for cycling glasses with a small head-up display. On 30 September 2019 it sold and licensed the Solos product line and its Whisper audio technology to Solos Technology in exchange for a 20.0 percent stake in the parent company, Solos Inc.[2][3]

Since the spin-off the company has sold the AirGo line: audio glasses with open-ear speakers, microphones and swappable front frames, later joined by camera-equipped models. Solos says none of its current glasses has a head-up display or lens projection.[4] Their AI assistant, SolosChat, runs through a phone app and has used ChatGPT and other models.[5][6] In January 2026 Solos sued Meta Platforms, Oakley and EssilorLuxottica units in a Massachusetts federal court, alleging that Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses infringe five of its patents.[1][7]

Reviewed 21 October 2026. Company history, Kopin spin-off terms, product names, dates, prices and specifications, the Meta patent suit and its docket, and all cited sources were checked against the Kopin release and 10-K, the complaint, Solos pages and the cited press. About review dates.

History

At Kopin (2015-2019)

Kopin, a Massachusetts maker of microdisplays and head-worn systems, announced Solos on 16 September 2015 as "performance eyewear" for cyclists and showed it for the first time at Interbike 2015. The glasses showed data from a smartphone or Bluetooth and ANT+ sensors (heart rate, speed, power, cadence and similar metrics) on a display that Kopin said was 4 mm tall but cast a 5-inch virtual screen. They also had voice commands and near-ear stereo speakers. Ernesto Martinez was named as the project leader.[2]

The glasses went on sale on 7 May 2018 for US$500 through the Solos website. VentureBeat reported that the product used a see-through display called Pupil, offered turn-by-turn navigation as audio prompts, had a battery rated for up to five hours, and included Kopin's Whisper voice chip for speech recognition in noisy places.[8]

Spin-off

Kopin's annual report for 2019 records that on 30 September 2019 it signed an asset purchase agreement with Solos Technology Limited, selling and licensing assets of the Solos product line and the Whisper audio technology. Kopin received 1,172,000 common shares, a 20.0 percent stake in Solos Technology's parent, Solos Incorporation, which would be kept until Solos Inc. had raised US$7.5 million in equity. Kopin's chief executive and chairman, John C. C. Fan, personally held 15.5 percent of Solos Inc., and two of his family members held a combined 37.1 percent. Kopin kept the right to use Whisper with its military and industrial customers and said the sale would let it concentrate on displays.[3]

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported in February 2020 that Solos was based at the Hong Kong Science Park. General manager Kenny Cheung told it that the company had looked at Boston, San Jose, Shanghai and Singapore as possible headquarters before choosing Hong Kong, where Kopin already had a team of 10 to 12 people.[9] As of October 2026 the company's about page lists Fan as founder and executive chairman, Cheung as co-founder and president, Kenneth Fan as co-founder and chief financial officer, and Martinez as a co-founder and non-executive board member. The same page says Solos holds a portfolio of more than 100 patents and patent applications.[10]

Consumer audio glasses (2020-2023)

The first AirGo glasses were launched in February 2020 with detachable "smart temples" that clip onto different front frames, a phone app for fitness coaching and posture training, and phone audio.[11] The AirGo 2 went on sale in Japan in September 2021, and the AirGo 3 became available in September 2023 with ChatGPT-based voice search and translation in the Solos app.[12][5]

Camera models, partnerships and litigation (2024-2026)

Solos announced its first camera-equipped model, AirGo Vision, on 28 June 2024 at the Hong Kong Smart Glasses Summit.[13] A year later, on 25 June 2025 at the same Hong Kong event, it announced the audio-only AirGo A5 and the camera-equipped AirGo V2.[6]

On 10 September 2025 Solos and Deutsche Telekom announced a partnership at Telekom's Digital X event in Cologne. The first joint project was an AI cooking app for Solos's AirGo glasses, built on the Solos software development kit and connected to Deutsche Telekom's AI services.[14] In August 2025 the accessibility company Envision announced Ally Solos Glasses, AI glasses for blind and low-vision users made with Solos.[15]

On 7 July 2026, at the AI Smartglasses Symposium in Hong Kong, Solos announced the global launch of the AirGo V2, a camera-free AirGo A6 and a Privacy Kit for the V2.[16][17]

Products

Product Announced or released Launch price Type Notes
Solos (cycling glasses) Shown September 2015; on sale 7 May 2018 US$500 Head-up display glasses Kopin product before the spin-off[2][8]
AirGo February 2020 US$299 suggested retail price Audio glasses Detachable smart temples; crowdfunded[9]
AirGo 2 2021 44,000 yen (Japan, September 2021) Audio glasses Sold in Japan through Glass Factory[12]
AirGo 3 Available September 2023 US$199 (Xeon, Helium); US$249-299 (Argon) Audio glasses ChatGPT-based SolosChat; SmartHinge frames[5]
AirGo Vision (sold as AirGo V) Announced 28 June 2024; on sale 10 December 2024 US$299 Audio glasses with camera Camera-free front frame available[13][18]
AirGo A5 Announced 25 June 2025 US$249 Audio glasses "Hey Solos" wake word[6]
AirGo V2 Announced 25 June 2025; on sale January 2026 US$299 Audio glasses with camera 16-megapixel camera[6][19]
AirGo A6 Announced 7 July 2026 Not announced Audio glasses No camera[17]

Solos cycling glasses

The original Solos glasses were sports eyewear for cyclists and runners. Kopin's 2015 announcement described polycarbonate frames, a design tested in wind tunnels, an adjustable display position, voice control, and an app that synced training data.[2] At the 2018 launch VentureBeat listed music and voice control, group chat, interchangeable lenses and activity sharing with Strava, TrainingPeaks and Under Armour. The glasses worked with iOS and Android phones and Android Wear 2.0 watches.[8] Solos says that none of its current glasses has a head-up display or lens projection.[4]

AirGo

The first AirGo introduced the design that later Solos glasses kept: the electronics sit in two detachable temples that clip onto different front frames. Its app had an "AI Coach" for tracking distance, pace, steps and cadence, and posture training to keep the wearer's head straight while running.[11] The Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported a suggested retail price of US$299 and six frame styles. At the time of its February 2020 interview the Kickstarter campaign had 305 backers and HK$501,244 in pledges against a HK$500,000 goal, and Solos planned to begin shipping in April.[9]

AirGo 2

Gizmodo Japan reported in September 2021 that the AirGo 2 was going on sale in Japan through the eyewear retailer Glass Factory for 44,000 yen, with ten frame choices. The report listed 11 hours of battery life, tap and swipe controls, directional speakers, Whisper noise reduction of up to 45 dB, posture alerts and a walkie-talkie mode between two pairs. The glasses had no camera and no display.[12] Solos's awards page lists the company among the 2022 CES Innovation Awards honorees, without naming the product, and says the AirGo 2 received CE certifications.[20]

AirGo 3

Solos announced the availability of the AirGo 3 on 27 September 2023. The company described it as a CES 2023 Innovation Award honoree with ChatGPT voice search and translation through the Solos app, open-ear speakers, Whisper speech processing, an IP67 rating and SmartHinge frames that use USB-C connectors.[5] Its frame collections, controls and specifications are covered in the Solos AirGo 3 article.

AirGo Vision and AirGo V

AirGo Vision added a camera to the AirGo design. At the June 2024 announcement Android Central described it as the first smart glasses integrated with ChatGPT-4o and reported that the AI could answer questions about what the wearer was looking at and that a camera-free front frame could be swapped in.[13] The glasses went on sale on 10 December 2024 at US$299 on the Solos website and Amazon. A US$149 camera module with frame was offered for existing AirGo 3 owners. GPT-4o handled requests at launch, and Solos said support for Google Gemini was coming.[18] Heise reported the same launch under the name AirGo V, with two frame designs, Krypton 1 and Krypton 2, a weight of 42 g and support for GPT-4o, Gemini and Anthropic's Claude.[21] The Solos store lists the Krypton frames under the AirGo V name.[22]

AirGo A5

The AirGo A5 is an audio-only model announced on 25 June 2025. It uses the same SmartHinge system as earlier models and responds to the wake phrase "Hey Solos". Laptop Mag reported a US$249 price, pre-orders from August 2025 and availability from the third quarter of 2025.[6] As of October 2026 the Solos store lists the A5 in its Hydro frame line, most models at US$249.[23]

AirGo V2

The AirGo V2 was announced alongside the A5 with a 16-megapixel stabilized camera and real-time streaming. Both models connect to the SolosChat 3.0 app, which offered ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and DeepSeek. Laptop Mag reported a planned price of US$299 for the fourth quarter of 2025.[6] At CES 2026 Solos said the V2 was available to buy at US$299 and previewed a charging case with a 1,100 mAh battery.[19] With the global launch in July 2026, Android Central reported 2K video at 30 frames per second with electronic image stabilization, SolosChat 4.0, and 10 to 12 hours of battery life in everyday use according to Solos, with optional swappable battery temples. Solos said the charging case was planned for August 2026.[16]

The Privacy Kit for the V2 costs US$79. It contains a transparent "ClearView" temple, a clip-on shield that covers the camera, and a clip-on polarized sun lens; the temple is also sold alone for US$39. Solos called the shield a "physical privacy solution for camera-sensitive situations".[17]

AirGo A6

The AirGo A6, announced on 7 July 2026, has no camera. Solos says it weighs about 19 g without lenses and has SolosChat with a wake word, live translation, messaging, reminders and open-ear audio.[16] Gizmodo reported that pricing and availability had not been announced.[17]

Ally Solos Glasses

Envision, which makes the Ally AI assistant for blind and low-vision people, announced Ally Solos Glasses on 14 August 2025. Envision listed launch pricing from US$399 with one year of Ally Pro included, shipping in October 2025, a weight under 50 g and a 15-hour battery life with quick-swap stems. The glasses read text, describe surroundings and recognize familiar faces and objects, with answers delivered through open-ear speakers.[15]

XR work and technology

The AirGo glasses have no display. Kopin's 2015 cycling glasses used a small head-up display, but the AirGo line delivers information by audio through open-ear speakers and, on camera models, uses the camera only as an input for the AI assistant and for photos and video.[2][13][16] The company's patent list covers noise-cancelling microphone arrays, beamforming with fractional time delays, directional audio for head-worn devices and modular eyewear hardware.[24] Solos offers a software development kit for third-party apps; Deutsche Telekom's cooking app was built on it.[14] Envision developed its Ally Solos Glasses together with Solos.[15]

Reception

BGR's Christian de Looper gave the AirGo Vision 5 out of 10 in January 2025. He found the ChatGPT-4o assistant accurate at picking up speech and the swappable frames useful. He criticized the audio and camera quality, the hard-to-find touch controls, and the app's repeated requests for full photo-library access.[25]

Patent lawsuit against Meta and EssilorLuxottica

On 23 January 2026 Solos Technology Limited filed a patent infringement suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (case 1:26-cv-10304) against Meta Platforms, Meta Platforms Technologies, Oakley, Luxottica of America and EssilorLuxottica USA. The complaint asserts U.S. patents 10,306,389, 10,651,866, 11,082,055, 11,871,174 and 12,216,339, which it says cover multimodal sensing, beamforming and audio processing, sensor fusion and contextual assistance. It names products including Ray-Ban Stories, the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Gen 1 and Gen 2, Meta Ray-Ban Display and Oakley Meta HSTN, and seeks damages "in the multiple billions of dollars" and an injunction.[1] Solos alleges that Oakley personnel saw its technology at Interbike 2015 and received a Solos product for evaluation in 2019, and that a former MIT Sloan Fellow who had studied Solos's AirGo later joined Meta Reality Labs as a product manager.[1][7]

Meta and the EssilorLuxottica units moved to dismiss the suit on 25 March 2026.[26] According to Bloomberg Law, Meta argued that the complaint did not plausibly allege infringement and that Solos had not joined BlueRadios Inc., which claims co-ownership of the patents; the Luxottica units argued that the complaint did not show they knew of the patents before the suit.[27] Solos filed oppositions to the two motions on 8 and 22 April 2026.[26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Complaint for patent infringement, Solos Technology Limited v. Meta Platforms, Inc. et al., No. 1:26-cv-10304". U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Solos Technology Limited. 2026-01-23. https://assets.alm.com/dc/57/99dd44f347d5bb85079c13bca07d/solos-technology-limited-v-meta-platforms-inc-et-al-madce-26-10304-0001-0.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Introducing Solos, High Performance Eyewear for Cyclists". Kopin. 2015-09-16. https://www.kopin.com/press-releases/introducing-solos-high-performance-eyewear-for-cyclists/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Kopin Corporation Form 10-K for fiscal year 2019". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Kopin Corporation. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/771266/000077126620000008/kopn-20191228x10xk.htm. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Frequently Asked Questions About Solos Smartglasses". Solos. https://solosglasses.com/pages/general-frequently-asked-questions. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Solos AirGo3 Smart Glasses Featuring Conversational AI and SmartHinge Technology for Customizable Frames Now Available". Solos. 2023-09-27. https://solosglasses.com/blogs/article/press-release-solos-airgo3-smart-glasses-featuring-conversational-ai-and-smarthinge-technology-for-customizable-frames-now-available. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Rael Hornby (2025-06-25). "My favorite Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses alternatives are back - and better than ever". Laptop Mag. https://www.laptopmag.com/laptops/headsets-microphones/solos-airgo-a5-and-v2-smart-glasses-announcement. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ian Carlos Campbell (2026-01-23). "A rival smart glasses company is suing Meta over its Ray-Ban products". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/wearables/a-rival-smart-glasses-company-is-suing-meta-over-its-ray-ban-products-205000997.html. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Dean Takahashi (2018-05-07). "Kopin starts selling $500 Solos smart glasses for joggers and cyclists". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/business/kopin-starts-selling-500-solos-smart-glasses-for-joggers-and-cyclists/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Through the glass smartly". Hong Kong Means Business. Hong Kong Trade Development Council. 2020-02-21. https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/1X0AJXAZ/article/through-the-glass-smartly. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  10. ↑ "About Us". Solos. https://solosglasses.com/pages/about-solos. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Sam Draper (2020-02-07). "Solos Launches AirGo - Smartglasses Infused with Wellbeing and Fashion". Wearable Technologies. https://wt-obk.wearable-technologies.com/2020/02/solos-launches-airgo-smartglasses-infused-with-wellbeing-and-fashion/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Gensuke Okamoto (2021-09-08). "PC作業もスポーツも。音楽再生も通話も健康管理もできちゃうスマートグラス". Gizmodo Japan. https://www.gizmodo.jp/2021/09/solos-smart-glasses-airgo2.html. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Nandika Ravi (2024-06-28). "These new Solos smart glasses take the fight to Meta AI with ChatGPT-4o integration". Android Central. https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/solos-airgo-vision-launch. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Solos partners with Deutsche Telekom and Showcases the Future of Smart Glasses at Digital X". Investing News Network. Solos (press release). 2025-09-10. https://investingnews.com/solos-partners-with-deutsche-telekom-and-showcases-the-future-of-smart-glasses-at-digital-x/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Envision Launches Ally Solos Glasses: Accessible AI, Now Truly Wearable". Envision. 2025-08-14. https://letsenvision.com/blog/ally-solos-glasses. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Jay Bonggolto (2026-07-07). "Solos' new smart glasses come with a literal plastic shield to block the camera". Android Central. https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/solos-new-smart-glasses-come-with-a-literal-plastic-shield-to-block-the-camera. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 James Pero (2026-07-07). "Smart Glasses Now Have Privacy Kits to Protect You From Getting Punched in the Face". Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/smart-glasses-now-have-privacy-kits-to-protect-you-from-getting-punched-in-the-face-2000781837. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Ben Schoon (2024-12-10). "Solos AirGo Vision smart glasses will work with Gemini, now available from $299". 9to5Google. https://9to5google.com/2024/12/10/solos-airgo-vision-gemini-smart-glasses-price/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Nickolas Diaz (2026-01-06). "Solos AirGo V2: cutting-edge smart glasses with AI launch at CES 2026 for $299". Android Central. https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/solos-airgo-v2-smart-glasses-are-here-with-camera-enabled-ai-for-usd299-at-ces-2026. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  20. ↑ "Our Award Winning Smart Glasses". Solos. https://solosglasses.com/pages/certifications-awards. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  21. ↑ Frank Schräer (2024-12-11). "Solos launches AirGo V smartglasses with ChatGPT to compete with Ray-Ban Meta". heise online. https://www.heise.de/en/news/Solos-launches-AirGo-V-smartglasses-with-ChatGPT-to-compete-with-Ray-Ban-Meta-10194861.html. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  22. ↑ "AirGo V Smartglasses". Solos. https://solosglasses.com/collections/airgo%E2%84%A2-v-smartglasses. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  23. ↑ "AirGo A5 Smartglasses". Solos. https://solosglasses.com/collections/airgo%E2%84%A2-a5-smartglasses. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  24. ↑ "Patents Owned by Solos". Solos. https://solosglasses.com/pages/patents-owned-by-solos. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  25. ↑ Christian de Looper (2025-01-20). "Solos AirGo Vision Review: Smart Glasses With ChatGPT". BGR. https://bgr.com/reviews/solos-airgo-vision-review-smart-glasses-with-chatgpt/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Solos Technology Limited v. Meta Platforms, Inc., 1:26-cv-10304 (D. Mass.), docket". CourtListener. Free Law Project. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72181665/solos-technology-limited-v-meta-platforms-inc/. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
  27. ↑ Christopher Yasiejko (2026-03-26). "Meta, Oakley Parent Push to Throw Out Smart-Glasses Patent Suit". Bloomberg Law. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/meta-oakley-parent-push-to-throw-out-smart-glasses-patent-suit. Retrieved 2026-10-21.
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