The new smart glasses integrate Alibaba's Qwen AI capabilities as the company expands its consumer hardware portfolio and enters a market led by Meta.
Alibaba Group has unveiled its latest Qwen Glasses N1 series, introducing AI-powered smart glasses with upgraded cameras, voice assistance and eye-tracking capabilities as the Chinese technology company expands its consumer hardware portfolio to compete with Meta.
The new devices were presented at an event in Hangzhou, China, on October 13. The standard Qwen N1 model is priced from 2,999 yuan, approximately $450, before discounts, while the higher-end N1 Pro is priced at 3,499 yuan, approximately $500.
Both models feature 50-megapixel cameras and upgraded sensors, allowing users to capture images and videos while accessing Alibaba's Qwen AI assistant through wearable hardware.
The Pro version introduces eye-tracking capabilities, enabling additional forms of interaction. The devices also support shopping, digital payments and health-related functions, extending their use beyond photography and audio playback.
According to Alibaba, the glasses offer up to 25 hours of standby time or nine hours of music playback on a single charge. Users can interact with the AI assistant through bone-conduction microphones, allowing hands-free access to information and connected services.
The launch follows Alibaba's introduction of its first-generation smart glasses in November 2025 and forms part of its broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into consumer devices.
The company has been expanding its AI ecosystem across large language models, cloud computing, semiconductor development, applications and hardware. Its Qwen family of models provides the underlying technology for several of these offerings.
Alibaba Chief Executive Officer Eddie Wu outlined the company's wider ambitions during the Apsara Conference in September, highlighting the increasing integration of AI into desktop, mobile and other computing environments.
The latest launch places Alibaba in more direct competition with Meta, which has expanded its smart glasses portfolio through its partnership with Ray-Ban.
In September, Meta introduced a camera-free smart glasses model priced from $349, designed primarily to provide access to its Muse AI assistant.
Unlike the camera-free Meta offering, Alibaba's Qwen N1 series retains photography capabilities while incorporating AI-powered features intended for everyday interactions.
Alongside the glasses, Alibaba has also introduced Qwen Clip, a pair of AI-enabled earbuds developed in collaboration with Bose.
Priced at 1,299 yuan, approximately $200, the earbuds provide another wearable interface for accessing Qwen's capabilities.
The expansion into smart glasses and earbuds reflects a broader shift among technology companies towards making AI assistants accessible through devices beyond smartphones and computers.
For consumer technology providers, wearable AI products create additional opportunities to integrate voice assistance, visual recognition and connected digital services into everyday activities.
Alibaba's latest devices extend its Qwen ecosystem into these applications as competition increases among companies developing AI-powered consumer hardware.
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