Loomos AI glasses in 2026: what happened, and what to buy instead

1. Can you buy Loomos AI glasses today?

No, not through an official store as of October 19, 2026. We checked three first-party places. On loomos.ai, the home page still reads “Available on Kickstarter Now”, but the store lists “loomos AI Glasses” as sold out, with no usable price. On sharge.com, a search for “loomos” returns no results. The Kickstarter campaign itself was funded on March 14, 2025: 8,516 backers pledged $2,064,433, according to the campaign page.

What happened after the campaign is set out in Loomos’s own updates. In July 2025 the team reported a camera upgrade and a critical Bluetooth bug. On December 29, 2025, Update #8 apologised for the delay and said the first version, which it calls the A1, would not ship: phones could not hold a stable Bluetooth connection to it, video was unclear and shaky, and the fix needed a new circuit board. Loomos says it chose to redesign the glasses, offered refunds to backers who asked (absorbing Kickstarter’s 10% fee), and would send a new model, the L1, to everyone else in the second quarter of 2026.

The most recent update on the campaign is dated August 31, 2026 and titled “Shipping Update & Loomos L1 details”. In it, Loomos says one final backer survey will go out before shipping begins and gives no shipping date. The second quarter of 2026, the date in Update #8, has passed. Backers will get one frame, a white transparent Wellington shape, and no separate sunglasses version. If you are a backer, read it on Kickstarter; if you are not, the practical answer is the same either way: there is no checkout for Loomos glasses on the brand’s site today.

2. The 16 MP A1 and the L1 that replaced it

The search results for this name describe the A1, and it is not the product backers are being promised now. The A1, as loomos.ai still describes it, has a 16 MP camera for 4K photos and 1080p video (up to 5 minutes per clip, by its own page), 49 g, a 450 mAh battery with up to 40 hours of standby, ChatGPT-4o through a Unisoc quad-core 2.0 GHz processor, open-ear speakers, a recording LED and an optional neckband power bank. Its stated MSRP was $299; launch press such as NAS Compares (January 29, 2025) reported a first Kickstarter tier of $199.99.

The L1, per Update #8, is a different pair: a 12 MP Sony IMX681 sensor with electronic stabilisation and 2K/30 fps video, a Qualcomm 4 nm chip, a titanium alloy frame at 38 g, new speakers and software built on the Memories.ai visual memory platform. Loomos lists its MSRP as $499. Update #9 (August 31, 2026) says prescription details for the L1 will be collected from backers through a PledgeBox survey. We could not find an L1 product page on loomos.ai.

So if you came here because of “16 MP for about $199”, that combination belonged to a 2025 crowdfunding tier for a version that, by Loomos’s own account, was not shipped.

3. Loomos vs OXIVUE, side by side

The table puts the two Loomos designs, as their maker describes them, next to the two OXIVUE frames we suggest. Loomos figures are quoted from loomos.ai and the Kickstarter page and updates (checked October 19, 2026). OXIVUE publishes this page and sells the M08 and M02C; we have not tested Loomos hardware.

Prices checked 2026-10-19; checkout price may change. Read the table honestly: on paper, Loomos lists a higher-resolution camera, the L1 a lighter frame, and the A1 offered prescription lenses. What OXIVUE offers is a pair you can order and receive this month, at well under either Loomos MSRP.

4. If you need prescription lenses

This is the one reason Loomos may suit you and OXIVUE will not. Loomos’s site says “Prescription supported”, and its campaign offered lenses made to your prescription and fitted to the frame. None of our frames take prescription lenses. The M08 and M02C come with a sunglasses, photochromic or clear lens, and that is the lens you wear.

If you wear glasses all day, an OXIVUE pair works for people who use contact lenses or who only need correction for some tasks. Otherwise, look for a maker that sells prescription lenses for a model that is actually shipping. Our prescription smart glasses guide walks through how that works in 2026 and what to ask before you order.

5. The OXIVUE alternatives

Two OXIVUE frames cover the core of what the original Loomos promised: a camera at eye level, open-ear audio, an assistant and translation, without a screen and without a subscription.

• M08, $99 at checkout. An 8 MP camera set in the frame corner, open-ear speakers and microphones, about 42 g, rated 7 hours of listening and 4 hours of calls. Choose a sunglasses, photochromic or clear lens. It has no published water rating.
• M02C, $109 at checkout. A Sony IMX219 8 MP sensor with dual stabilisation, IP65 for rain and dust (not immersion), about 41 g with magnetic charging, and “Hey Cyan” visual AI that can describe what you are looking at. Same three lens choices.

Both use the free HeyCyan phone app for the assistant, photo and video transfer, and two-way translation in 40+ languages. Translated speech plays only in your ears; the other person reads your reply on the phone, and translation pauses after each sentence. HeyCyan does not need a Meta, Facebook or Instagram account. There is no display in either frame. A capture starts only when you touch the temple, and recording people may require their consent depending on where you are; see our recording laws by state guide.

If you want to see more than one brand before you decide, our best AI glasses under $200guide compares other makers’ current models, and the camera glasses guide explains what an 8 MP frame camera is good for and where a phone still wins. Every OXIVUE model is on the comparison page.

6. Before you back or buy any AI glasses

The Loomos story is a useful checklist for this category, whoever you buy from. These are the questions we would ask of any pair, ours included.

• Is there a working checkout on the maker’s own site? A campaign page and launch coverage are not a product you can receive. Check the store, not the press.
• Which version is being described? Specs from a 2025 launch can belong to hardware that was redesigned. Match the model name and date in a review to the model on sale.
• What is the delivery estimate, in days? OXIVUE states 5 to 9 business days in the US and 9 to 14 business days internationally after shipment, to 39 countries. Outside the US, import VAT or duties are paid by the recipient on delivery.
• What happens if it arrives broken or develops a fault? Read the policy before you pay. Ours is short and below: no refunds except transit damage, and a 2-year warranty for faults.
• Do you need a prescription? If yes, settle that first: OXIVUE frames do not take prescription lenses, so check that the maker you choose sells them for a model that is shipping.

For a plain explanation of how these glasses work with a phone, read do smart glasses need a phone.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days; international orders take 9–14 business days after shipment. No refunds except transit damage (replaced or refunded); faults are repaired or replaced under the 2-year warranty; change of mind and unmet expectations are not refundable. None of our frames take prescription lenses. Details are on the shipping policy and return policy pages.

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