Alibaba Launches Quark AI Glasses S1 with Swappable Batteries and Built-in Camera

Alibaba has made its entry into the smart glasses market with the Quark AI Glasses S1, the company’s first in-house model. These glasses integrate Alibaba’s Qwen AI assistant and include several advanced features that aim to enhance everyday productivity and entertainment.

The Quark AI Glasses S1 boasts a lightweight design, weighing just 51 grams, with a balanced weight distribution for comfort during extended use. The frames feature ultra-slim 7.5mm temple arms and support prescription lenses ranging from 0 to 800 degrees with refractive indices of 1.6, 1.67, or 1.74. The display utilizes a Micro LED light engine paired with a diffractive waveguide lens, achieving a peak brightness of 2,300 nits. Users can adjust both the distance and height of the display for a personalized fit.

Under the hood, the glasses employ a dual-chip architecture. The Snapdragon AR1 handles core system processing, while the BES2800 manages audio functions. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.1 and Wi-Fi 6. The device comes equipped with five microphones, including a bone-conduction mic, and dual 10mm speakers. Features such as real-time translation, object recognition, and voice interaction are supported, along with Qwen assistance—a service comparable to Google Gemini but powered by Alibaba’s own large language model.

A notable addition is the built-in point-of-view camera, which uses a 12MP Sony IMX681 sensor with a 109-degree field of view. It can record video at 3K resolution at 30 frames per second and capture photos with a resolution of 4032 x 3024 pixels. The glasses also include electronic image stabilization, Super Night Mode, and an instant capture function.

Battery life is addressed through a swappable battery system located in the temple arms, each holding 280 mAh. Alibaba provides three charging solutions: a MiniBag dock with a 700 mAh capacity, a larger 2,500 mAh charging case, and a USB-C fast-charging clip that can deliver 50 percent power in just 10 minutes. The device offers up to 45 minutes of call time, 2.5 hours of music playback, 20 minutes of navigation use, and 15 short video recordings on a single charge. Overall active use is rated at up to 7 hours, with a standby time of 25 hours.

In terms of durability, the Quark AI Glasses S1 carry an IPX4 rating for splash resistance and support Apple MFi for seamless connectivity with Apple devices.

The Quark AI Glasses S1 is currently priced at CNY 3,999 (approximately USD 560) in China. While there has been no official announcement regarding a launch in Nepal, market analysts anticipate that the device could arrive here at a price of no less than NPR 90,000 once it becomes available.