On the 3rd (local time), the outdoor space between halls 3 and 5 at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain, where the world's largest mobile show, "MWC 2026," is being held. Long lines formed here. The product visitors waited to try was smart glasses. On one side was the pavilion for Alibaba's AI smart glasses "Qwen AI Glasses," which the company said it would officially launch during MWC, and on the other side was Meta's smart glasses pavilion.
Alibaba's supersized artificial intelligence (AI) model "Qwen 3.5" has been lightened and embedded in the Qwen AI Glasses. A visitor to MWC 2026 said, "Seeing the leading Chinese and U.S. AI smart glasses companies set up pavilions across a single aisle brings to mind a scene of fierce competition for this market."
◇ Wear smart glasses to ask questions and get real-time interpretation
"Hi, Qweny. What is this building?"
Wearing Alibaba Qwen's smart glasses "S1," I looked at a photo of a building and asked this question. Qweny replied, "This building is the Sagrada Família Basilica in Barcelona," and continued with a detailed explanation. Picking up the mirror next to me and looking into it, I asked, "Hi, Qweny. What is this?" The answer came back, "It is a person looking into a mirror at an exhibition or event."
This time I turned on the interpretation function. A Qwen representative spoke nonstop in Chinese to introduce the smart glasses. But it wasn't burdensome. Korean subtitles in green appeared before my eyes in real time, and I heard the interpretation in my ear at the same time. "From now on I will explain in Chinese. It weighs 40g. The battery is placed at the back of the temple arms, so it feels comfortable when you wear the glasses."
The interpretation audio was not audible to the other person. Turning on the teleprompter function brought up the prepared script in front of my eyes. For an important lecture, having only the glasses would make for a reliable personal prompter.
The scene spread out before my eyes could easily be captured with the glasses as well. I also turned on the navigation function. As I moved with the glasses on, the map on the display moved accordingly. It was just like running navigation on a phone. I wore the AI smart glasses for about 10 minutes, but felt no discomfort. It was like regular glasses. On top of that, in daily life where I couldn't let go of my smartphone, having both hands free was convenient. However, it was a letdown that the display color was fixed to green.
At the TCL pavilion in China, you could see the "RayNeo X3 Pro." The X3 Pro also let you view real-time interpretation while wearing the glasses and take photos. However, the RayNeo X3 Pro did not feel like it fit snugly to the face.
◇ Smart glasses shipments surge… beyond the experimental phase
The reason so many smart glasses with AI functions were seen at MWC 2026 is that, as competition heats up for new device formats to replace smartphones, many say glasses are the most natural form for using AI. A Meta representative said, "Smartphones put the world in our pockets but pulled people's gaze away from reality, and the next computing platform will be AI wearables."
Fierce competition is expected over AI smart glasses. Alibaba unveiling AI smart glasses to coincide with MWC means shifting Qwen's voice assistant from an app-based service to a wearable. An Alibaba representative said, "Beyond AI glasses, Qwen plans to launch an AI-based smart ring and AI earbuds in the second half of this year."
According to Counterpoint Research, regional market shares for smart glasses are 37% in North America and 30% in Western Europe. China is only 6%. In Asia, relatively stronger aversion to glasses than in Europe plays a role.
According to Counterpoint Research, global shipments of smart glasses in the second quarter of last year jumped 139% from a year earlier. AI smart glasses drove the growth. Counterpoint Research said, "Manufacturers are starting to view smart glasses not as experimental products but as a lineup they can now sell."