- Device extends its lead in China’s AI wearables market, capturing nearly one-third of online sales
- Competition intensifies as smart glasses makers race toward scale and public listings
Qwen AI Glasses ranked first on Tmall’s smart glasses bestseller ranking as China’s mid-year 618 shopping festival got underway, extending the product’s strong sales momentum in an increasingly crowded AI wearables market.
The Qwen AI Glasses S1 topped the platform’s smart glasses sales chart, according to Tmall data, following a strong start since its launch earlier this year.
Nearly one in three
Market research firm AVC said Qwen AI Glasses captured 30.4% of China’s online AI glasses retail sales by value between March and April, giving the brand nearly one-third of the market and the leading position in online sales.
That translates to roughly one in every three AI glasses sold online during the period carrying the Qwen brand.
The S1 model was unveiled at MWC Barcelona 2026 in March and went on open sale on April 15. Within 10 hours, it topped bestseller lists across multiple e-commerce platforms including Tmall, JD.com and Douyin, according to the company.
Users have cited lightweight design, AI-powered interaction, photography functions and display capabilities among the product’s key attractions.
Translation, navigation and note-taking features have also gained traction in commuting, travel and office settings.
The strong sales performance comes as China’s AI glasses industry stands on the cusp of a commercial breakout.
Commercial breakout
Advances in display technologies such as LCoS and Micro LED have helped make devices lighter, more power-efficient and better suited for extended daily use.
Research firm IDC forecasts China’s smart-glasses shipments will reach 4.9 million units in 2026, up 77.7% from a year earlier, marking a shift toward larger-scale adoption.
Chinese manufacturers are expected to account for about 45% of global shipments this year, IDC predicts.
At the same time, competition is intensifying among leading players including Rokid, XREAL, RayNeo, Quark and Qwen. The race has increasingly shifted beyond product launches to fundraising and capital markets activity.
In April, XREAL filed for a Hong Kong initial public offering, potentially positioning itself as the first smart-glasses maker to list in the city.
