Snap Spectacles 5 promise to deliver the next step in AR, but only for developers
Snap Spectacles 5 promise to deliver the next step in AR, but only for developers
Snap, the company behind Snapchat, have announced a new pair of AR Spectacles
🤓 Snap has unveiled another pair of AR glasses
🤩 The Spectacles 5 beam digital graphics into the real world
🤷♂️ However, they’re only available to developers in the US
💰 They also cost $99 a month
Snap Inc., the parent company of the social media app Snapchat, has launched a new pair of AR Spectacles at the Partner Summit in Los Angeles.
The new Spectacles represent Snap’s fifth attempt to create an augmented reality device, which it hopes will one day replace traditional smartphones. Snap launched its first edition of Spectacles in 2016, but it’s not giving up yet.
The fifth-generation Snap Spectacles go beyond the company’s previous efforts, featuring a chunkier design reminiscent of early 3D glasses or something a doctor would prescribe after cataract surgery. They’re still lighter than most VR headsets, though, weighing 226 grams.
The Spectacles include four cameras that allow for hand-tracking and gesture controls, along with micro-projectors that beam a heads-up AR display onto the auto-dimming lenses. The viewing area is about 46 degrees, so don’t expect something comparable to the Apple Vision Pro.
The Snap Spectacles run the company’s own Snap OS and are powered by a pair of Snapdragon processors that can provide 45 minutes of usage from a single charge. That isn’t great for a device aimed at making augmented reality mainstream, but it helps that the Spectacles are only available to developers.
Developers will need to commit to a $99-a-month subscription for a minimum of 12 months. They’ll also need to live in the US.
The high price tag of over $1,188 a year hasn’t put companies off, as Snap confirmed that LEGO Group, Niantic, and Wabisabi Games have all signed up for the new Snap Spectacles.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.