Snap is finally launching augmented reality (AR) glasses, and they're not cheap. The Specs, a wearable computer built into see-through AR glasses, will retail for $2,195. Preorders are now open with a $200 refundable deposit, and they're expected to ship in the US, UK, and France this fall. This is a significant moment for Snap, which first entered the smart glasses market with its original Spectacles in 2016. Since then, the company has been working on nonpublic AR versions of Spectacles and even turned its smart glasses team into a separate business. CEO Evan Spiegel promised a consumer AR glasses launch in 2026, and the Specs are a step towards that goal. The Specs are described as fully standalone, with no puck or tether, and they come in two sizes: 47mm and 52mm, weighing 132g and 136g, respectively. They feature removable inserts to support a wide range of prescriptions. The design is bold and wide, setting them apart from Meta's smart glasses. The Specs have visible light and infrared cameras, and a glowing LED bar indicates when they're recording. Both lenses can display content, powered by a proprietary liquid crystal on silicon technology, offering a 51-degree field of view and 16 million colors. The lenses can also transition from clear to tinted in 10 seconds. Two Snapdragon processors are onboard, one focused on computer vision and the other on running AR Lenses, enabling fast hand tracking and responsive interactions. Battery life is up to four hours, with a charging case providing an additional 20 hours of use. The Specs can be charged via a magnetic cable that can also be connected to devices like phones or computers for content streaming. However, the Specs are still a work in progress, and their success remains to be seen. They face competition from Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses, which have been a hit, and Apple's Vision Pro, which has not. The market is crowded with smart glasses, and privacy concerns persist. Despite these challenges, Snap is moving forward with the Specs launch, and we'll have to wait and see how they perform in the real world.
