Qwen Glasses explained: S1, G1, N1 and N1 Pro, model by model

1. What Qwen Glasses are, and why you also see the Quark name

Qwen Glasses are smart glasses made by Alibaba and integrated with its Qwen AI and the Qwen App. Alibaba’s launch release of December 5, 2025 (Alibaba Cloud Community, checked October 31, 2026) introduced them as the Quark AI Glasses series, “deeply integrated with Qwen”, in two versions: the S1 and the G1. By March 4, 2026, when Alibaba showed Qwen Glasses at MWC Barcelona, its release called the line Qwen Glasses, described an S1 series and a G1 series, and did not mention the Quark name.

TechNode (February 28, 2026, checked October 31, 2026), citing the Chinese outlet Jiemian, reported that an Alibaba staff member said the Quark and Qwen glasses share the same underlying algorithms and the same software and hardware teams, and that future models and global branding will use the Qwen name. That is a report, not an Alibaba statement. In September 2026 Alibaba unveiled two newer models, the N1 and N1 Pro, under the Qwen Glasses name.

This page is about which model is which. For whether a US buyer can get a pair, and what to buy instead, see our guide to Quark AI glasses availability and alternatives.

2. The four models side by side

The table pulls together what Alibaba and the outlets below state. Prices are China prices in yuan as reported on the dates shown; where two outlets disagree, both are shown. A cell that says “Not stated” means none of the pages we checked on October 31, 2026 states it. It does not mean the glasses lack the feature.

Sources, all checked October 31, 2026: Alibaba’s releases of December 5, 2025, March 4, May 9 and September 25, 2026 (via Alibaba Cloud Community), plus TechNode and The Next Web, both October 2026. Check Alibaba’s storefront for current prices, which change with subsidies and launch offers.

3. S1 and G1: the original pair

The S1 is the display model. Alibaba’s December 2025 release describes dual micro-OLED displays, dual chips, bone-conduction voice pickup and a swappable dual-battery system that it says delivers up to 24 hours of battery life. A hands-on at MWC from The Deep View (March 3, 2026, checked October 31, 2026) said the S1 has dual in-lens displays and the G1 does not, and described the heads-up displays as monochromatic and green-tinted. It also listed a 12 MP camera and a dual-battery system with swappable 272 mAh packs, without saying which model the list covers. The outlet wrote that Qwen had yet to issue a press release and that the specs were gathered from a demo and booth tour. Alibaba’s December 2025 release (checked October 31, 2026) does not describe the display colour.

The G1 is the model without a display. Alibaba’s December 2025 release gives its weight as 40 g, calls it “camera-first” and says it shares the S1’s core hardware except the display. In March 2026 Alibaba said the G1 was available at “as low as” 1,997 yuan (approximately $275, Alibaba’s figure) after national consumer incentives and platform subsidies, and said a G1 sunglasses variant comes in seven lens colours.

On May 9, 2026 Alibaba announced an upgrade, described in its release as a proactive service system that draws on signals such as time, location and environmental conditions and tracks how long the glasses have been worn, for example suggesting an umbrella when rain is forecast or prompting you to lift your head and stretch. The same release describes a spatial 3D display with dual optical engines that adds depth and layering to what appears in view. It does not name the model that gets either feature, and it gives no release date for the services it describes as coming soon. Gizmodo (May 11, 2026, checked October 31, 2026) covered the update as one for the S1 and wrote that its author had not had a chance to test the S1.

4. N1 and N1 Pro: the October 2026 models

Alibaba unveiled the N1 and N1 Pro at its Apsara Conference. Its September 25, 2026 release says pre-orders opened on September 22, official sales were scheduled for October 13, and the N1 series has a 50-megapixel sensor. It attaches eye tracking for visual interaction, including object recognition and iris-based payment, to the N1 Pro and does not mention it for the N1.

TechNode (October 14, 2026) adds 4K video, replaceable batteries in the temples, and heart rate, blood oxygen and skin temperature readings on the Pro. It says Alibaba lists battery life at nine hours for the N1 and eight for the Pro. The Next Web (October 13, 2026) gives 25 hours on standby or nine hours of music in its N1 section, citing Bloomberg, and says you talk to the assistant through bone-conduction microphones. The table shows both.

The same two outlets disagree on price. TechNode says the N1 is priced from 2,899 yuan and the Pro from 3,399 yuan. The Next Web says from 2,999 yuan, about $450, before discounts (citing Bloomberg), and 3,499 yuan for the Pro, notes that some Chinese outlets list 2,899, and adds that with state subsidies and launch offers buyers can pay as little as 2,218 yuan (citing Yahoo Finance Hong Kong). Neither article (both checked October 31, 2026) describes a display or gives a weight for the N1 or N1 Pro.

5. What the Qwen assistant does, according to Alibaba

Alibaba’s December 2025 release says you can reach the assistant by voice commands like “Hello Qwen” or through touch controls. It lists text and image questions, meeting notes, reminders, a live teleprompter and near-eye navigation, support for the MCP protocol for third-party developers, and integrations with Alipay, Amap, Taobao, Fliggy, QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music. Those are Chinese services.

The March 2026 release adds real-time translation, HD capture, meeting transcription and visual recognition, and says agentic tasks such as ordering food, booking hotels or hailing rides by voice would roll out in phases from late March, and that users in China will soon be able to do them hands-free. The December release describes the glasses as integrated with Alibaba’s ecosystem. How much of that carries over abroad is not stated: the same March release describes the international version as featuring “deep integrations with leading services” and names none.

6. Languages: what the sources say

None of the pages we checked names a translation language list. Alibaba’s December 5, 2025 release lists “on-the-go translation”, its March 4, 2026 release lists real-time translation, and neither names a language. The May 9 and September 25, 2026 releases name none either, and TechNode and The Next Web list translation among the N1’s functions without a list (all checked October 31, 2026). Whether English is supported, how many languages there are and whether translation works away from China are not answered by those pages.

If a retailer or a video quotes a number, treat it as unverified until it appears on Alibaba’s own page. For how translation on glasses works in general, and what to check before you rely on it, see our guide to glasses that translate languages.

7. Outside China: what Alibaba has said

Alibaba’s March 4, 2026 release says “The international version is planned for global rollout within 2026”, and describes it as featuring deep integrations with leading services. It names no countries, markets, languages, price or date. We found no announcement of an international date, price or country list (checked October 31, 2026). Every sales channel named in the sources above is Chinese: Tmall, JD.com, Douyin, Taobao and partner optical stores in China.

A listing outside those channels is not one these sources describe, and we cannot vouch for it. The dated record of what Alibaba and outlets have said, plus a checklist for importing, is in our Quark AI glasses availability guide. Other China-based brands are covered in Xiaomi AI glasses alternatives and Rokid glasses alternatives.

8. If you want camera glasses you can order now

OXIVUE makes a different kind of glasses, and none of our frames has a display or takes prescription lenses, so they are not a substitute for the S1’s display or Alibaba’s agentic features. The M02C costs $109 at checkout for one pair (listed $159). It has a Sony IMX219 8 MP camera with dual stabilisation, an IP65 rating for dust and water jets (not immersion), a weight of about 41 g and magnetic charging. Open-ear speakers are rated for 7 hours of listening or 4 hours of calls.

The M02C has a voice-activated visual assistant that describes what you look at. OXIVUE does not publish which AI model powers the M02C’s voice-activated visual assistant. Its translation covers 40+ languages through the free companion app; the translated audio is heard only by you, and the other person reads the reply on your phone. A photo or clip starts only with a visible touch on the temple, so ask before you record people. If a heads-up display is what you came for, read smart glasses with a display, and compare every OXIVUE frame on the comparison page.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days. International orders take 9–14 business days after shipment. Import VAT or duties outside the US are paid by the recipient. No refunds except transit damage (replaced or refunded); faults are repaired or replaced under the 2-year warranty; change of mind and unmet expectations are not refundable. None of our frames take prescription lenses. Read the refund policy and the shipping policy.

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