Snapchat, long-known as a featherweight within the league of Large Tech giants, is hoping to finest opponents Meta, Google and Apple by releasing its new augmented actuality AI-enabled sensible glasses months, possibly even years, earlier than the large guys.
Talking at a convention on Tuesday, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel stated the corporate would launch a brand new model of its camera-equipped glasses subsequent yr that can incorporate an interactive, AI-enhanced digital display screen inside the lens. The 2026 launch date can be forward of Meta, which plans to launch its AR “Orion” glasses in 2027, whereas Google has not connected a date to its Android XR glasses.
“The tiny smartphone limited our imagination,” Spiegel stated in his keynote on the Augmented World Expo convention in Lengthy Seashore, Calif. “It’s clear that today’s devices and user interfaces are woefully inadequate to realize the full potential of AI.”
The brand new “Snapchat Specs” can be light-weight and AI-enhanced, Snap stated. They may permit customers to take a look at objects in the actual world and leverage AI to entry info, corresponding to translating components on a label from overseas languages. The glasses may also permit customers to work together with the objects on the lens, Snap stated, citing examples like taking part in video video games with their eyeballs.
The corporate didn’t share pictures of the Specs frames or present info on pricing. As a part of the Specs announcement, Snapchat shared that working system partnerships with OpenAI and Google Gemini will lengthen into experiences for the glasses.
If Snap follows via on the promise of 2026 launch, it might be the primary Large Tech firm to market with augmented actuality glasses for mainstream customers, claiming an early lead within the race to create the successor to the smartphone—a contest involving everybody from Meta, Google, and Apple, to ChatGPT maker OpenAI, which just lately introduced a partnership with former Apple design boss Jony Ive.
A pioneer within the glasses type issue, Snap made waves with the discharge of its “Spectacles” in 2016. The funky wanting glasses had been geared up with a digital camera that allowed customers to submit pictures and brief video clips on to their Snapchat feed. However lately, Snap’s Spectacles have been eclipsed by Meta, which partnered with EssilorLuxottica to launch Ray-Ban sensible glasses. Although Meta hasn’t shared financials round its Ray-Ban glasses, EssilorLuxottica famous that the businesses have offered over 2 billion glasses since their 2023 debut. Luxottica plans to extend merchandise of the co-branded glasses to 10 million items by 2026, suggesting that the businesses are happy with the outcomes and potential of the glasses.
That stated, Meta’s glasses would not have AR capabilities; somewhat, the glasses have audio-based AI options in addition to picture and video functionality. Meta has stated it can launch its Orion AR glasses in 2027, with know-how that can permit customers to scan their Threads feeds with eye monitoring {hardware}.
Different tech giants have glasses of their sights, too. At its IO developer’s convention in Could, Google introduced that it might be part of the sensible glasses market by partnering with Warby Parker. And Apple, whose $3,500 VisionPro headset has didn’t catch on with customers, is reported to launch sensible glasses subsequent yr that mimic the present model of Meta’s Ray Bans, whereas engaged on extra superior AR glasses which are nonetheless years away, in response to Bloomberg.
The Specs announcement follows a turbulent monetary interval for Snapchat. After years of worrisome financials, Snapchat appears to have stabilized and elevated free money move in the latest quarter. The glasses are partially a income diversification effort as the corporate is propagated by advertisements to its social community.
Nonetheless, Snapchat didn’t share what the glasses will value customers. Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses, which would not have AR capabilities, value between $239 and $303 so it’s affordable to imagine the Specs’ costs can be steeper because of the {hardware} necessities.
The type and luxury of the glasses are additionally prone to be essential, with customers having repeatedly demonstrated an aversion to bulky- or geeky-looking sensible glasses and headsets. With its 2026 launch date, Snap has thrust itself again into the dialog, however success will relaxation on whether or not it could possibly produce a product customers really need to put on.
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
