Snap Inc. recently officially released a new generation of augmented reality smart glasses, SPECS, which focuses on finding a balance between weak AI glasses and bulky headsets, and enters the increasingly saturated smartphone market in a form that is "wearable all day long." Officials define SPECS as a high-end AR device for work and entertainment, priced as high as $2,195, and say its experience is comparable to the productivity and audio-visual performance of a high-end laptop.
SPECS is available in two sizes, with frames made from high-performance Swiss TR90 polymer material and supports removable lenses to suit the user's myopia or other optical prescriptions. The 47mm version weighs about 132 grams, and the 52mm version weighs about 136 grams, trying to control the wearing weight while maintaining a certain degree of sturdiness. Snap has previously warmed up this product many times, and earlier this year it also spun off the smart glasses team into an independent subsidiary, Specs Inc, to accelerate related hardware and ecological development.
In terms of display, SPECS is equipped with Snap’s self-developed LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon) display system, which can provide a 51-degree field of view and approximately 16 million color display capabilities. Officials claim that in an office setting, the virtual screen in front of the user is equivalent to a 24-inch desktop monitor; when watching movies, it can present a visual effect equivalent to a 115-inch home theater screen 10 feet away. Snap is trying to use this to shape SPECS into a multi-purpose display terminal that can carry both productivity and entertainment consumption.
The audio and microphone system is integrated into the temples, using a pair of custom stereo speakers and 6 high-signal-to-noise ratio MEMS microphones to support open external audio. Users can listen to audio and pick up speech directly through the glasses when casting screens, streaming media, opening whiteboards or collaborative meetings. Snap specifically emphasized that SPECS does not require additional cable connections or computing "boxes" to work with computers, aiming to highlight its integrated, lightweight use.
On the core hardware, SPECS is equipped with two Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, one of which is responsible for computer vision tasks, and the other is dedicated to running AR special effects content such as Lenses. Snap said that the device supports high-speed gesture tracking, low-latency interaction, and can "anchor" digital content in a more natural way in the actual environment. It also claims to have achieved a "motion-to-photon" delay of about 7 milliseconds to improve immersion and comfort.
In terms of battery life, SPECS can provide up to about 4 hours of use time on a single charge, during which it can simultaneously undertake multiple tasks such as AI assistant, Bluetooth notifications, Lenses, and audio and video playback. If used with the included charging storage box, the device's total battery life can be extended to approximately 20 hours in mixed usage scenarios, providing more flexible power protection for high-intensity travel or workday use.
At the functional experience level, users can directly view and interact with AR Lenses anchored in the real world through SPECS. The built-in AI assistant uses the camera to "observe" the surrounding environment to answer user questions or provide task tips and real-time assistance, combining visual understanding with semantic feedback.
Snap said that during the development process of SPECS, the company has submitted more than 7,000 related patents, hoping to build a digital ecosystem around smart glasses. Officials emphasized that developers have released hundreds of Lenses content for SPECS, covering creative filters, interactive experiences, information visualization and other directions.
In addition, SPECS uses the same electrochromic lens technology used in the windows of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which can switch between clear and tinted states in about 10 seconds. This means that when users go from indoors to outdoors, the glasses can quickly darken to reduce glare, integrating ordinary glasses and sunglasses on a single device.
Snap SPECS is currently available for pre-order on official channels, priced at $2,195, with a $200 refundable deposit required for pre-order. Snap plans to start shipping to users in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France this fall, which also means that SPECS will be the first to be tested by consumers and developers in the core markets of Europe and the United States.