Snap Working on Advanced Smart Glasses With Augmented Reality Capabilities

Snap is designing a new set of "Spectacles" smart glasses that have augmented reality capabilities, reports The Information. Snap has sold several versions of its Spectacles, but current options do not have AR features and are instead equipped with a camera for uploading content to social network Snapchat.

snap spectacles
The augmented reality Spectacles will be aimed at developers and creators rather than the consumer market. Developers and creators design the AR effects on the Snapchat app, and The Information suggests that Snap is hoping developers will use the Spectacles to build out new software experiences for the glasses, with the aim of later providing the AR glasses to all users.

The glasses, which are the first to include displays, will be able to superimpose existing Snapchat lenses on the real world, allowing people to see Snapchat filters on actual objects and people. There will be two cameras capable of recording videos, similar to the current version, with that video then able to be shared on Snapchat.

Snap is planning to unveil the Spectacles at its annual developer conference that will be held in May, and the AR glasses come amid rumors that Apple is working on its own version of smart glasses with AR capabilities.

Apple has an AR/VR headset in the works that could come out as early as 2022, but the smart glasses that focus on augmented reality are not expected until at least 2023.

Tags: Snap, Snapchat

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...

Top Rated Comments

Candlelight Avatar
63 months ago
So... everyone hated Google Glass because of privacy issues but now we're all ok with it...?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
63 months ago
Reminds me of X-men Cyclops. The future is here.

Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
simonb76 Avatar
63 months ago
I think I’ll keep my <insert stupid price here> if they look like that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
63 months ago
Also working on a Spectacular landfill.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lazyrighteye Avatar
63 months ago
I hope their offering looks exactly like the OP photo. They'll sell dozens.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anthogag Avatar
63 months ago
The worst thing about AR glasses is seeing the cameras. I don't, and I assume most people, do not like to be secretly filmed. It can quickly spread all over social media. Cameras on glasses should also show surrounding people the recording feature is on.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)