UL Updates SOH Certification for Smart Glasses Batteries

On May 15, 2026, UL Solutions released UL 62368-1 Supplement SB (2026 Edition), introducing a mandatory State of Health (SOH) lifecycle aging validation requirement for lithium-ion batteries in AR/Smart Glasses. This update directly affects manufacturers and exporters of AR eyewear targeting the U.S. market—and increasingly, FDA-reviewed digital health devices—making comprehensive aging documentation essential for UL certification.

Event Overview

On May 15, 2026, UL Solutions published UL 62368-1 Supplement SB (2026 Edition). The supplement adds a new requirement for built-in lithium-ion batteries in AR/Smart Glasses: applicants must submit a full-lifecycle State of Health (SOH) aging report, consisting of capacity retention and internal resistance growth measurements taken every 30 days over a continuous 12-month period. Without this report, UL will not issue the UL Mark. This requirement is now aligned with the U.S. FDA’s pre-submission pathway for digital health devices.

Industries Affected

AR/Smart Glasses Exporters (U.S.-bound)

These companies face immediate compliance pressure: UL certification is often contractually required by U.S. retailers and platform partners. Failure to provide the 12-month SOH report will block UL Mark issuance, potentially delaying or preventing market entry.

OEM/ODM Manufacturing Partners

Manufacturers producing AR glasses for global brands must now integrate long-term battery aging testing into product development timelines. This extends qualification cycles and increases lab resource allocation—especially for battery cells sourced from third-party suppliers without existing SOH traceability.

Battery Component Suppliers

Suppliers of lithium-ion cells—including cylindrical, pouch, and custom-form factor batteries—must now support customers with cell-level aging data packages. The requirement applies to the final integrated battery pack, but validation relies on consistent cell performance; thus, cell-level SOH documentation becomes a de facto prerequisite for qualification.

Regulatory & Certification Service Providers

Firms offering UL submission support or FDA digital health pre-review services must update their technical service offerings to include SOH test planning, data collection coordination, and report compilation—particularly for clients lacking in-house battery reliability labs.

Key Considerations and Recommended Actions

Monitor official guidance on test protocol harmonization

UL has not yet published detailed test parameters (e.g., temperature profile, charge/discharge cycles per interval, allowable deviation thresholds). Companies should track UL’s upcoming technical bulletins and attend UL-hosted webinars scheduled for Q3 2026.

Prioritize models with U.S. market launch plans before Q2 2027

Because the SOH report requires 12 months of data, any AR glasses model intended for U.S. launch in early-to-mid 2027 must initiate aging testing no later than Q2 2026. Delaying initiation risks missing certification deadlines.

Distinguish between regulatory signal and enforceable timeline

The May 15, 2026 release is the effective date of the supplement—but UL has confirmed a 6-month transition period for submissions under legacy requirements. Enforcement of the full SOH report becomes mandatory for all new applications filed on or after November 15, 2026.

Align battery sourcing, integration, and test planning across teams

Procurement, R&D, and QA teams must jointly select battery cells with documented aging behavior—or commission parallel aging tests during prototype builds. Cross-functional alignment is critical: battery firmware, thermal design, and mechanical housing all influence aging outcomes and must be locked before aging testing begins.

Editorial Perspective / Industry Observation

Observably, this update signals a broader shift toward lifecycle-based safety assurance—not just for batteries, but for field-deployed electronics in regulated health-adjacent categories. It does not yet constitute a standalone regulation, nor does it apply retroactively to certified products; however, its inclusion in the FDA’s digital health pre-review pathway elevates its operational weight beyond traditional safety certification. Analysis shows that UL is treating battery SOH less as a one-time pass/fail metric and more as a longitudinal quality gate—one that reflects real-world degradation patterns rather than accelerated lab stress alone. From an industry perspective, this represents less an isolated compliance hurdle and more an early indicator of how functional safety expectations may evolve for embedded power systems in wearable medical-adjacent devices.

Conclusion: This UL update formalizes a new baseline expectation for battery reliability validation in AR eyewear entering the U.S. market. It is not a retrospective mandate, nor does it replace existing electrical or mechanical safety requirements—but it introduces a time-bound, data-intensive layer of evidence that reshapes product development timelines and supplier accountability. Currently, it is best understood as a forward-looking procedural standard with binding enforcement starting November 15, 2026, rather than an immediate market barrier.

Source: UL Solutions official announcement, UL 62368-1 Supplement SB (2026 Edition), published May 15, 2026. Note: UL’s detailed test methodology document and FDA alignment guidance remain pending publication and are subject to ongoing observation.