Alibaba Group has thrown its hat into the red-hot AI wearables ring, launching the Quark AI glasses in China today—a sleek bid to disrupt Meta’s dominance in the sector. Priced accessibly from 1,899 yuan ($268) for the base G1 model, the eyewear-like device is powered by Alibaba’s in-house Qwen large language model and companion app, blending everyday style with cutting-edge smarts.
Unlike Meta’s bulkier Ray-Ban smart glasses or Oculus headsets, Quark’s black plastic frames mimic ordinary spectacles, prioritizing subtlety over spectacle. The premium S1 variant, starting at 3,799 yuan ($537), ups the ante with built-in micro-OLED displays that overlay contextual info—like real-time translations or product prices—directly into the user’s view. Both models boast swappable lenses for customization and deep ties to Alibaba’s ecosystem, enabling seamless Alipay payments, Taobao shopping scans, and on-the-go voice queries.
First teased in July, the glasses hit major platforms like Tmall, JD.com, and Douyin immediately, with pre-orders already surging. Analysts hail the move as Alibaba’s rare consumer hardware push amid its AI pivot, potentially capturing a slice of the $50 billion wearables market where Meta holds sway. “This isn’t just tech—it’s lifestyle integration,” said Alibaba exec Wu Xiaoguang. Early buzz suggests strong holiday uptake, but privacy concerns and battery life will test its mettle against Silicon Valley giants.