Alibaba unveils Quark smart glasses powered by Qwen AI to challenge Meta’s Ray-Bans

New Delhi: Alibaba Group has made its first steps into the consumer hardware sector, releasing its first AI-based smart glasses, the Quark S1. The wearable is based on the Qwen AI models of the company, and it has opaque displays that superimpose contextual data on the view of the user in the real world. Cameras, the use of bone-conduction microphones and replaceable batteries of up to 24 hours of use are sufficient to place the device as an alternative to Ray-Ban smart glasses produced by Meta in China. The relocation indicates the wider ambition of Alibaba to create an AI-first ecosystem in apps, software and hardware.

The S1 is launched with the cheaper Quark G1, which forgoes the micro-OLED displays but still has the AI capability. The two models are currently offered on the largest Chinese online shops, as well as in over 600 stores. The sale internationally will be done in the coming year via different channels like AliExpress. This will be the next in line since Alibaba, with a changed version of Qwen, has been a success, with the new app surpassing 10 million users in just a few days.

The new line of hardware offered by Alibaba is an extension of its recent reorganisation around artificial intelligence. This company has already incorporated Qwen into the Quark browser, and it is still developing an ecosystem that cuts across search, commerce, travel and payments. According to the CEO, Eddie Wu, the renewed AI services are retaining users well, further boosting the development of the company to extend its AI services.

AI-powered smart glasses have swept across China, and IDC projects 1.6 million units were shipped last year. Startup companies like Even Realities dominate lightweight designs, whereas other companies such as Xiaomi command substantial market share. The category is further growing with the emergence of glasses with inbuilt displays that would push the total shipment to approximately 2 million units.

Ray-Ban Display glasses, priced at $799 by Meta, have raised the bar of what is expected of the product category, as they provide gesture control by way of a wristband and a more immersive experience. They are more expensive and heavier, but they establish a new standard. Alibaba intends to compete based on its ecosystem advantages, meaning that it will install services like Taobao, Fliggy, Alipay, NetEase Cloud Music and Tencent QQ Music on the Quark smart glasses series.