MWC 2026: Alibaba to launch new smart glasses powered by Qwen AI assistant

Alibaba Group Holding plans to launch new smart glasses powered by its artificial intelligence assistant Qwen at the coming MWC Barcelona trade show.On Saturday, a company representative confirmed the launch, adding that both online and offline presales would start on Monday, the first day of the annual trade show, formerly known as Mobile World Congress.Meanwhile, the company, which owns the China-morning-post" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="12558" data-entity-type="organization">South China Morning Post, is preparing a diverse product line-up this year for the global market, including AI rings and AI earphones, according to a person close to the company.The coming release of the Qwen glasses marks Alibaba’s second major foray into smart eyewear. It follows the Quark AI Glasses, priced from 1,899 yuan (US$277), that were officially launched in November 2025, available in the mainland Chinese market.The gadgets target a fast-growing sector. In the first half of 2025, global shipments of smart glasses more than doubled, driven mostly by strong demand for Meta Platform’s glasses, along with new offerings from Xiaomi, according to market research firm Counterpoint.Alibaba’s first AI glasses were officially launched in November 2025. Photo: Wency ChenThe new Alibaba glasses are expected to present a renewed challenge to Meta’s smart eyewear, Ray-Ban Meta, as well as similar wearable devices from Xiaomi and Baidu.