Snap Inc., the parent company of popular social media platform Snapchat, has announced the launch of its first consumer augmented reality (AR) glasses, called Specs. Priced at $2,195, these AR glasses are set to hit the market this fall, with preorders already available on specs.com. The Specs are expected to ship in the US, UK, and France.

This move marks a significant step for Snap, which initially entered the smart glasses market in 2016 with its original Spectacles. Over the years, the company has been working on developing AR versions of its glasses, with CEO Evan Spiegel promising the launch of consumer AR glasses by 2026. Snap has even established a separate business unit dedicated to smart glasses development. The Specs are described as "a wearable computer built into see-through augmented reality glasses." They are designed to be fully standalone, eliminating the need for a separate puck or tether. The glasses come in two sizes, 47mm and 52mm, with removable inserts to support a wide range of prescriptions. The design features wide, bold frames that aim to differentiate them from other smart glasses in the market. Equipped with visible light and infrared cameras, the Specs offer a unique display system powered by proprietary liquid crystal on silicon technology. This technology provides a 51-degree field of view and can display 16 million colors. Additionally, the lenses can transition from clear to tinted in just 10 seconds. Under the hood, the Specs are powered by two Snapdragon processors, with one focused on computer vision and the other on running AR Lenses. This setup enables fast hand tracking, low latency, and responsive interactions to create a seamless AR experience. The glasses offer up to four hours of battery life on a single charge, with a charging case providing an additional 20 hours of battery. Public reactions to Snap's AR glasses have been mixed, with some expressing excitement about the innovative technology and others questioning the high price point. The launch of Specs comes after Snap's previous attempts at smart glasses, which faced challenges in gaining widespread adoption. As Snap prepares to enter the consumer AR glasses market, it will be interesting to see how these new offerings are received by the public and whether they can carve out a niche in the growing wearable technology space. #Snap #AR #WearableTech #NexSouk #AIForGood #EthicalAI References: - The Verge. (n.d.). Snap’s first consumer AR glasses are coming this fall for $2,195. https://www.theverge.com/tech/950492/snap-specs-ar-glasses-launch-date-preorder - Engadget. (n.d.). Snap's slimmed down AR Specs go on sale later this year for $2,195. https://www.engadget.com/2195207/snap-ar-specs-launch-price/ - Slashdot. (n.d.). Snap's First Consumer AI Glasses Are Coming This Fall For $2,195. https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/16/1712214/snaps-first-consumer-ai-glasses-are-coming-this-fall-for-2195?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed - BBC News. (n.d.). Snap unveils $2,195 smart glasses after previous flops. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyr5knpklvo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss Social Commentary influenced the creation of this article.