Alibaba launches new $450 smart glasses in AI gadget push

Alibaba has launched its new model of smart glasses, The Qwen Glasses N1, with prices starting at 2,999 yuan ($450) before any government discounts, and the company pushing further into consumer hardware as it looks to compete with Meta in the AI glasses market.

The Next Web reported that some Chinese outlets have listed the N1 at 2,899 yuan, below Alibaba’s official starting price of 2,999 yuan.

Alibaba is pricing its glasses in line with Meta’s market-leading Ray-Ban range rather than trying to win buyers over with a lower price, in a strategy focused on features and quality instead of affordability.

The glasses are now available to order in China through Taobao, Tmall, JD.com and Douyin.

A 50 megapixel camera and Alibaba’s Qwen assistant

The N1 carries a 50-megapixel sensor with a 1G5P lens and shoots 4K video. Wearers can use bone-conduction microphones to interact with Alibaba’s Qwen AI assistant via a voice chat feature, while the glasses also supports translation, meeting notes, shopping and payments, which are all accessible through voice commands.

Yahoo Finance reports that the glasses can last up to 25 hours on standby or deliver nine hours of music playback per charge.

Pro model adds iris payments and heart-rate tracking

Priced at 3,499 yuan, the N1 Pro uses eye-tracking technology to let users ask questions about objects they are looking at, without having to point them out or describe them.

The N1 Pro smart glass also enables hands-free payments through Alipay, where users can start a transaction in the app, and nod to confirm when they look at a merchant’s QR code and check the payment details.

The glasses also help to monitor health metrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels and skin temperature, and uses AI to turn the readings into quality health summaries.

If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter.