Alibaba Group Holding Limited launched its first AI‑powered smart glasses, the Quark S1 and G1, on November 27 2025. The devices are available on China’s leading e‑commerce platforms—Tmall, JD.com and Douyin—at prices of 3,799 yuan (US$537) for the flagship S1 and 1,899 yuan for the lighter G1. Both models embed Alibaba’s Qwen AI models and a proprietary Quark assistant, enabling real‑time translation, meeting transcription, navigation, Alipay payments, Taobao price checks, calls and music playback. The S1 features translucent monochrome green displays, a camera, bone‑conduction microphones and a dual‑chip system that pairs a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 processor with a low‑power coprocessor, while the G1 offers a similar sensor suite with a lighter form factor. Swappable 24‑hour batteries give the glasses a practical advantage over competitors’ bulkier designs.
The launch positions Alibaba to compete directly with Meta’s Ray‑Ban Smart Glasses and other domestic players such as Xiaomi and Xreal. By leveraging its Qwen AI platform, Alibaba can deliver a seamless AI assistant experience that is tightly integrated with Alipay, Taobao, Amap and other services, creating a compelling ecosystem loop that encourages daily use. The company’s Vice President Wu Jia emphasized that “AI glasses open the door to a revolutionary way of connecting and interacting with computers in the AI era,” underscoring the strategic intent to embed AI into everyday consumer hardware.
Alibaba’s move also reflects broader momentum in the AI wearables market, which is projected to expand significantly by 2026. The company’s Qwen app, which reached over 10 million downloads in its first week, demonstrates strong consumer appetite for AI‑powered experiences. The smart glasses launch is expected to accelerate that momentum, providing Alibaba with a new revenue stream that complements its cloud and e‑commerce businesses.
While the product launch is a milestone, Alibaba has not yet announced a global rollout. Sources indicate that international versions are planned for 2026, with potential markets including the United States and Europe, and that the company may leverage AliExpress to reach overseas consumers. The company is also exploring a developer ecosystem around its MCP protocol to encourage third‑party applications, which could broaden the glasses’ functionality beyond the core features.
Overall, the Quark glasses launch signals Alibaba’s commitment to integrating AI into consumer hardware, expanding its ecosystem, and capturing a share of the rapidly growing wearable market. The combination of competitive pricing, practical battery life, and deep ecosystem integration positions the product as a strong contender in China’s smart glasses landscape.
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