Snap has sunk $3 billion into AR Specs it hopes it can actually convince you to wear
Snap
TL;DR Snap will launch a new pair of AR smart glasses, called Specs, in 2026.
The glasses will run on Snap OS and support AI-powered features like translation, gaming, and 3D content.
Unlike the 2024 Spectacles, Specs will be for consumers, not just developers.
Despite repeated waves of apathy, tech companies won't relent in their quest to put a computer on our faces. The latest hardware announcement comes from SnapChat's parent company, Snap, which is launching a new pair of smart glasses, called Specs, in 2026.
These aren't just another pair of camera glasses like the early iterations of the company's Spectacles. Snap is pitching them as a full-on wearable computer for augmented reality (AR), with see-through lenses, AI integrations, and built-in spatial computing. Snap says it's spent over a decade and more than $3 billion developing the glasses, which it describes as 'lightweight' but 'ultra-powerful.'
According to the press release, Specs will be able to understand the world around you using machine learning, help with real-time translation and AI-powered tasks, and even support multiplayer games and shared experiences with friends. You'll also be able to browse the web, stream content, and get cooking instructions, all while keeping your hands free.
The company's been building up to this for a while. It released the fifth generation of its Spectacles in 2024, aimed at developers rather than consumers, and says those early testers have already been building some of the experiences it hopes will make Specs useful when they launch next year. That includes things like a travel app that translates signs and converts currencies, a cooking assistant that finds recipes based on what's in your kitchen, and a drumming tutor that overlays cues on a real drum kit.
Snap's also updating its Snap OS platform with a bunch of new features aimed at developers. That includes improvements for things like spatial mapping, real-time language processing, and 3D content generation. The idea is to make it easier to build all kinds of AR experiences, whether they're tied to specific locations or running straight from the browser.
We don't yet know what the Specs will look like, how much they'll cost, or how long the battery might last. But Snap's clearly hoping that 2026 will be the year its long-running AR project finally goes mainstream.
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