Meta accelerating smart glasses development, looks for South Korean suppliers over China

Meta is reportedly accelerating the development of its smart glasses project -- codenamed Hypernova -- seeking suppliers throughout South Korea to reduce its heavy dependence on China.

In a new report from Korean outlet MK picked up by @Jukanlosreve on X and their electronics industry source, Meta plans to contract DB HiTek, an SK foundry to manufacture power management integrated circuits (PMICs) for charging its upcoming AR smart glasses.

This source said that Meta representatives visited DB HiTek last month and that discussions were underway for final delivery and if that contract is finalized, production of its next-gen Hypernova AR smart glasses would begin in 2026 with a release window for 2027.

Meta approached DB HiTek because battery life is one of the major core factors in smart glasses, as the product is designed to be worn at all times, so the battery life can't be significantly increased due to weight constraints (and the fact that Meta wouldn't want you to take them off). This is why developing low-power semiconductors is critical, with DB HiTek having global competitiveness in BCDMOS (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) integrated processes, which are an essential part in making low-power semiconductors.

According to reports, Meta has been making multiple trips to South Korea searching for suppliers to provide components for its smart glasses, a big part of its effort to diversify its supply chains that are right now, dependent on China. We should expect more news on Meta's upcoming Hypernova AR smart glasses in the months ahead.