Snap unveils Specs, a standalone AR glasses computer, at Augmented World Expo

A decade in the making

Snap has worked on augmented reality glasses for over twelve years, Evan Spiegel told CNBC. The company's earlier Spectacles camera glasses lost tens of millions of dollars, but the new Specs represent its first consumer-grade standalone AR device. Spiegel positioned the launch as a move away from smartphones: "Specs mark the beginning of a new era in computing," he said at the Augmented World Expo in Long Beach, California.

What the Specs bring

The glasses pack two Snapdragon processors, one for computer vision, one for AR experiences, and need no tethered smartphone or external battery. They project information onto lenses with a 51-degree field of view and 16 million colours; Snap compares the effect to a 24-inch desktop monitor or a 115-inch home cinema screen at three metres. Hand tracking with 7-millisecond latency, voice commands and an AI assistant let users follow navigation, ask about objects or play AR games. Electrochromic lenses change from clear to tinted in ten seconds. Built from Swiss TR90 polymer, the 47 mm frames weigh 132 grams, the 52 mm frames 136 grams. Battery life is four hours; a charging case holds up to 20 hours.

Pricing and market position

Snap set the price at $2,195 in the United States, £1,999 in the UK and €2,295 in France, with pre-orders open now and a $200 refundable deposit. They ship to those three countries this autumn. The Specs undercut Apple's Vision Pro ($3,499) but cost far more than Meta's Ray-Ban display glasses, which start at $799.

Analyst caution

Ben Hatton, market analyst at FDM CCS Insight, told the BBC the $2,195 price makes mainstream adoption unlikely. "Snap's core audience of younger consumers rarely have this sort of money to spend on a single gadget," he said. He added that a four-hour battery life and bulky design meant the glasses would not replace the smartphone soon. Spiegel pushed back in a CNBC interview, arguing Specs occupy a different device category that combines wearability and performance unavailable elsewhere.

Privacy and launch details

Smart glasses have faced criticism for surreptitious filming; in February the UK's Information Commissioner's Office wrote to Meta after data workers viewed intimate videos captured by its glasses. Spiegel stressed that "privacy has to be built in from the very beginning," promising features would only work if people trust the device. European Union regulations prevent a launch in the bloc, Snap said, citing rules on battery replaceability and artificial intelligence.