Snap has returned to the consumer augmented reality market, unveiling a new pair of AR smart glasses aimed at mainstream buyers. Named “Specs,” the glasses are scheduled for release sometime in 2026, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel revealed at Tuesday’s Augmented World Expo in Long Beach, California.
Unlike Snap’s previous development-focused Spectacles model, the new Specs are designed to be significantly lighter and less conspicuous when worn in public. The glasses will incorporate a variety of advanced augmented reality and artificial intelligence functionalities similar to those available on the current Spectacles 5 developer model. Key features include transparent lenses that overlay digital graphics on the real-world environment and a built-in AI-powered assistant capable of interpreting and responding to audio and visual inputs.
This announcement marks Snap’s first serious attempt at selling consumer smart glasses since its initial Spectacles debut nearly a decade ago. The original Spectacles, launched back in 2016, failed to achieve commercial success, with sales quickly declining following an aggressive initial marketing push. Snap believes the technology and market timing are more favorable now, although the company will face formidable competition from large players already established or soon entering the AR market, notably Meta and Google.
Meta expects to launch its own consumer-oriented AR glasses, reportedly named “Hypernova,” by the end of 2025. Google, meanwhile, recently announced collaboration deals with Warby Parker, Samsung, and other partners to develop Android XR-powered glasses. Snap is banking on its own robust ecosystem—built around SnapOS and supported by a thriving community of AR developers—to help differentiate Specs from competitors’ devices.
To illustrate the new glasses’ capabilities, Spiegel demonstrated several Snap-created experiences at the event. One new application, “Super Travel,” automatically translates foreign text such as signs or restaurant menus for users traveling abroad. Another, called “Cookmate,” generates recipe suggestions based on the ingredients users already have in their kitchens, providing step-by-step guidance in augmented reality. These are examples of the kind of consumer-focused utilities AR firms have long aimed to deliver but have struggled to package into an appealing, everyday wearable form.
While Snap appears optimistic about Specs’ market prospects, many important details remain unknown—particularly concerning pricing, sales channels, and the specific physical design of the glasses.
Alongside the glasses announcement, Snap revealed updates intended to bolster its SnapOS platform and further attract developers. These include enabling applications built atop advanced multimodal AI models provided by companies like OpenAI and Google’s DeepMind. Additionally, Snap introduced a new Depth Module API, allowing developers to place graphics created by advanced AI language models precisely into three-dimensional environments. Looking further ahead, Snap also announced an upcoming partnership with Niantic Spatial—an offshoot of the “Pokémon Go” creator—to develop accurate, AI-generated global maps.
Whether Snap’s Specs can successfully transition AR glasses from a niche novelty to an item consumers truly embrace remains an open question. Meta has had some early success with its Ray-Ban Meta collaboration, but Snap’s Specs could be considerably pricier and more technologically ambitious. To convince a mainstream audience to adopt Specs, Snap will likely need to demonstrate significant practical value in everyday life.
