Later this year, Snap is expected to launch the latest consumer version of its AR glasses, called Specs. In anticipation of that event, the company has launched a new subsidiary, Specs Inc., focused solely on further developing the glasses.
Snap announced the new company on Tuesday, explaining that the move would allow for greater operational focus and alignment as it continues to iterate on its product. This shows that, like other tech giants such as Meta and Apple, Snap is getting serious about its smart glasses. It is worth noting that the company has been developing its AR hardware for quite a long time.
In fact, Snap originally began working on the technology behind Specs over a decade ago, although the last time the company offered a consumer version of the glasses was in 2018. Since 2024, the latest version of the hardware has been a developer-only product, which has allowed Snap to work on populating the wearable with the kinds of programs that will hopefully make it a hit at launch.
As Snap has continued to refine its product, other companies have charged to the front of the AR glasses race, most notably Meta. Meta has cut deals with major eyewear companies like Ray Ban and Oakley while enjoying growing demand.
Snap obviously hopes to make a meaningful entrance into that market once its glasses are released later this year.
At CES earlier this month, I met with Russell Patton, product manager for Specs, who gave me a demo of Snap’s new headgear. Patton guided me through a tour of the device’s user experience and latest features. He said that the spatial nature of Specs meant that there were a lot of user experiences that could be enjoyed that aren’t possible with a phone. That spatial experience is largely powered by the glasses’ four cameras, which allow for hand tracking and enable the company’s Snap Spatial Engine, the software that projects the device’s AR imagery.
Specs run on a distinct operating system, Snap OS, which released its latest version last September. The newest version notably includes an improved browser, as well as an AI-powered function called spatial tips that can provide auto-generated information about whatever you happen to be looking at. Also included is a travel mode, which Snap says can help travelers translate foreign street signs and menus.
Then there are the games. During my demo, I managed to flail my way through a round of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which was quite a lot of fun. The headsets also have the ability to synchronize with one another, meaning that two different people wearing different sets of glasses can see the same thing in the same physical space. That opens the door for collaborative gaming.
The form factor of the glasses I used was a bit cumbersome, at nearly 8 ounces, and they had a propensity to heat up after usage. The team told me that the particular pair I was using had been in use all day. The physical makeup of the hardware is also expected to change before it launches publicly.
The company hasn’t provided a firm release date yet, so interested consumers will have to keep their eyes peeled for that announcement.