Alibaba Unveils Qwen AI Smart Glasses N1 Series in Hangzhou
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. officially expanded its hardware footprint on Tuesday, unveiling the Qwen Glasses N1 series at a launch event in Hangzhou. Bloomberg reported that the company is positioning these wearables as a primary interface for its artificial intelligence tools, marking a significant step in the firm’s strategy to act as a full-stack AI provider.
The new devices are priced starting at 2,999 yuan ($450) before discounts. This pricing strategy places the hardware in direct competition with industry leader Meta Platforms Inc.’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, signaling that Alibaba is prioritizing quality and feature sets over undercutting rivals on cost.
Qwen Glasses N1 Features Improved Cameras and AI Integration
The Qwen Glasses N1 series arrives approximately one year after the release of the company’s first edition. According to Wu Jianjun, general manager of Qwen AI hardware products, the new model includes improved 50-megapixel cameras and sensors. A Pro edition, priced at 3,499 yuan, introduces specialized eye-tracking functionality.
The glasses are designed to integrate tightly with the company’s Qwen AI assistant. Users can interact with the AI agent through bone-conduction microphones. Additional supported features include:
- Shopping functions
- Payment processing
- Health tracking
Regarding power management, the company stated that the glasses provide 25 hours of standby time or 9 hours of music playback on a single charge.
Expanding the Qwen Ecosystem
Alibaba’s broader objective, as reiterated by CEO Eddie Wu, involves developing an end-to-end AI ecosystem that ranges from large language models and chips to consumer-facing hardware. To complement the new glasses, the company also launched the Qwen Clip, a set of AI earbuds developed in collaboration with Bose Corp. and priced at 1,299 yuan. These earbuds are intended to provide a more accessible entry point for users to engage with the Qwen AI platform. The new hardware lineup underscores Alibaba’s ongoing effort to transition from a software-focused entity into a developer of integrated, user-end AI products.