Snapchat unveils new spectacles with hands-free AR experience

Snapchat is making significant strides in augmented reality (AR) wearables with the latest version of its Spectacles glasses, designed to overlay AR effects onto the wearer’s field of vision. These new Spectacles will allow users to interact with AR elements through their glasses, offering a hands-free, immersive experience.

Snapchat has been developing this iteration of Spectacles for several years, initially granting select developers access to early versions of the device. The company continues this approach by offering early access to developers for a yearly fee, enabling them to experiment with the technology and create applications ahead of its full commercial release.

“Spectacles are the result of a decade of research and development to introduce hardware that breaks the bounds of screens and brings people together in the real world,” said Snap. The glasses, which weigh just 226 grams—less than half the weight of a typical VR headset—are equipped with four cameras that power the Snap Spatial Engine and allow for advanced hand tracking.

Since the launch of the first Spectacles in 2016, alongside World Lenses, it’s been clear that Snap has been steadily working towards full AR integration. Now, with competitors like Meta and Apple entering the AR space, Snap is advancing its Spectacles to potentially offer a more user-friendly and popular alternative.

The new Spectacles will be powered by “Snap OS,” enabling users to interact with AR experiences via hand and voice commands. This functionality is boosted by Snap’s expanded collaboration with OpenAI, aimed at helping developers create AI-assisted AR experiences. Users will also be able to control Spectacles through their mobile devices via a dedicated app, offering features such as a custom game controller for Lenses and screen mirroring.

As Snap continues to push boundaries in AR technology, the new Spectacles could mark a significant step in wearable AR’s journey towards mainstream adoption.