Last month Snap, the parent company of social media platform Snapchat, unveiled its Specs AR glasses at the Augmented World Expo. The company started taking $200 deposits from consumers who wanted to reserve a pair of the $2,195 glasses. These are very capable and useful glasses compared to the previous glasses released by the company starting in 2016,
Snap's first pair of glasses recorded video for only 10 seconds
For the most part, those glasses took videos using strategically placed cameras, and the videos could be downloaded on Snapchat. The OG version took 10-second videos, and Snap would improve the features with every new release of the glasses.
Known as SPECS, Snap's sixth-generation glasses use an augmented reality (AR) display which overlays a real-world feed with computer-generated data. Last month's introduction was aimed at developers, early tech adopters, and enterprise professionals.
A consumer-oriented unveiling will take place on September 16
But to properly allow SPECS to be introduced to its target audience of consumers, a second unveiling will take place on September 16 starting at 4 PM PDT/7 PM EDT. You can register to view the livestream, which will apparently be hosted by Snap co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel.
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You can pre-order the glasses right now with a $200 refundable deposit. SPECS will ship this fall to the US, UK, and France. Click on the link to the pre-order page, and you can virtually try on the AR glasses and reserve your pair.
Wherever you go, you can create virtual workspace. | Image by Snap
The glasses are equipped with a pair of Snapdragon processors
Don't confuse these new glasses with the early plastic Spectacles that were sold out of vending machines placed on the beach. The new SPECS are powered by a pair of Snapdragon processors. No matter where you are, you'll be able to create a digital workspace, get assistance from AI, play games, and stream video. We should see a polished demo on September 16 that will show the world what these glasses are capable of doing.
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"Turn any table into a virtual chessboard with SPECS. | Image by Snap
There are two versions of the wearable (a 47mm version and a 52mm variant), and removable inserts cover a wide range of prescriptions for those who need glasses to see clearly. To prevent bystanders from getting video recorded without their knowledge, an LED light will light up when the camera is active. This would seem to remove one of the biggest complaints about Google Glass, which led to users being given the nickname "glassholes."
The $2,195 SPECS will be equipped with four cameras
SPECS will feature four cameras with a 115-degree field of view. SPECS can render 16 million colors, and the field of view is equivalent to a 24-inch desktop display for work or up to a 115-inch home cinema screen placed about 10 feet away. The glasses can deliver up to four hours of mixed-use battery life, and the included charging case allows you to charge the glasses as many as four additional times.
The glasses will be powered by the home-grown Snap OS operating system. Users will be able to navigate the operating system using hand gestures and voice commands. It supports immersive AR applications called Lenses that will be used for gaming, utilities, and learning.
The latest version of the OS, SnapOS 2.0, introduces a native browser with support for WebXR. It also includes a Spotlight Lens for viewing vertical video in 3D space. Lastly, the platform supports real time AI capabilities that will come in handy such as translation and object recognition. This would seem to indicate that users will be able to have their SPECS translate signs and other material in real-time.
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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