Snap to launch smaller and lighter Specs in 2026, will compete with Meta Ray-Ban
Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, has revealed its plans to launch the sixth generation of its augmented reality (AR) glasses in 2026, as competition intensifies in the rapidly evolving smart glasses sector. In a departure from its previous branding, Snap announced that its forthcoming AR glasses will be called Specs, moving away from the familiar Spectacles name used for earlier iterations. According to the company, the Specs will utilise advanced AR technology, enabling wearers to interact with digital content seamlessly overlaid onto their real-world surroundings.
advertisementWhile Snap has yet to confirm either a price point or an exact release date for the new device, the company has stated that Specs will be both smaller and lighter than earlier models. The previous generation of Spectacles, launched in September 2024, was made available exclusively to developers through a leasing model that required a monthly payment of $99 (around Rs 8,500) over the course of a year.'We couldn't be more excited about the extraordinary progress in artificial intelligence and augmented reality that is enabling new, human-centered computing experiences,' Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said in a statement announcing the Specs.
The upcoming Specs are aimed squarely at consumers and will run on Snap's own Snap OS operating system. In a significant development, Snap has opened up the platform to allow developers to integrate Google's Gemini AI models into applications designed for the smart glasses. This addition offers coders greater flexibility when creating software for the device, expanding beyond the previously limited access to OpenAI's GPT language models. The integration of multiple AI platforms is expected to fuel innovation within Snap's AR ecosystem, offering a wider range of capabilities for developers and users alike.
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Snap first entered the wearables market in 2016 with the launch of its original Spectacles, priced at $130 (around Rs 11,120). Those early models were relatively basic, allowing users to record short videos for upload to Snapchat. In 2021, Snap advanced its product line by introducing AR displays to its Spectacles, offering users the ability to see virtual objects projected onto their real-world view. These AR-enabled glasses represented a major step forward for the company as it sought to establish itself in the emerging market for head-mounted computing.Since Snap's initial foray, competition within the AR and VR space has grown considerably. Earlier this year, Apple entered the market with its high-end Vision Pro headset, which went on sale in February 2024 for $3,500 (around Rs 3,00,000). Meanwhile, Meta has broadened its range of hardware offerings, which now include the popular Quest VR headsets, the Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses, and the experimental Project Orion AR glasses, which were unveiled last autumn.With a growing number of major tech players investing heavily in AR and mixed reality technologies, Snap's upcoming Specs will enter an increasingly crowded and highly competitive market. However, the company hopes that its unique combination of lightweight design, expanded AI integration, and its deep roots in augmented reality development will allow it to carve out a meaningful share of the smart glasses market as consumers continue to embrace wearable technology.
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