Introducing SPECS Augmented Reality Glasses: A Revolutionary Step Towards Natural Computing
Today, we unveil SPECS, our groundbreaking augmented reality glasses, at the Augmented World Expo 2026. This announcement marks a significant milestone in our journey at Snap, where we've been dedicated to exploring the potential of augmented reality to enhance human connection and interaction.
A Vision for Natural Computing
Since the inception of Snap, our mission has been to harness technology to foster deeper connections between people. This belief led us to augmented reality, a field we've been actively cultivating for over a decade. Our goal is to create a future where computers seamlessly understand the world as we do, not just through text and taps, but through sight, sound, movement, and context.
As computers have become more powerful and personal, they've also become more demanding of our attention. We often find ourselves glued to screens, disconnecting from the people and experiences around us. This is where SPECS come in, offering a solution that prioritizes our engagement with the world.
SPECS: Redefining Augmented Reality Glasses
Building a computer that seamlessly integrates into a pair of glasses is an immense challenge. SPECS are designed to be powerful yet lightweight, addressing the limitations of traditional AI glasses and the bulkiness of headsets. They are fully standalone, featuring no puck or tether, and are crafted from high-performance Swiss TR90 polymer in two sizes: 47 mm and 52 mm, weighing 132 grams and 136 grams, respectively.
The display system in SPECS is a marvel in itself, powered by our proprietary liquid crystal on silicon technology. It delivers an impressive 51-degree field of view and 16 million colors, providing a visual experience akin to a 24-inch desktop monitor or a 115-inch home cinema screen placed 10 feet away.
Our waveguide technology has been reimagined to offer a clearer and more seamless view of the world. It employs billions of invisibly small nanostructures, with more than 10,000 fitting on the tip of a single hair. This technology is inspired by Boeing 787 Dreamliner windows, ensuring the electrochromic lenses transition from clear to tinted in just 10 seconds.
Enhancing Everyday Life with SPECS
The true potential of augmented reality lies in making computing useful in the moment. SPECS empower users with features like real-time directions, space measurement, and AI assistance, all while maintaining awareness of the surrounding environment. They can transform any space into a workspace, enabling activities like screen casting, content streaming, and collaboration.
Developers have already created hundreds of Lenses for SPECS, showcasing the platform's versatility. These Lenses unlock shared experiences that go beyond traditional screens, such as interactive lessons on a drum set or educational tools that visualize invisible forces.
Built for Understanding the World
To make augmented reality feel natural, SPECS are equipped with two Snapdragon processors. One processor is dedicated to computer vision, while the other runs Lenses, ensuring fast hand tracking, low latency, and responsive interactions. This setup allows digital content to feel seamlessly integrated into the real world, with a verified 7-millisecond motion-to-photon latency.
A Platform for Developers and AI Integration
We believe that the true potential of augmented reality will be unlocked by developers. Over the past year and a half, we've released 10 Snap OS updates with over 40 new features and APIs, and developers have already published hundreds of Lenses for SPECS. We're now introducing tools like agentic development for SPECS Lenses in Lens Studio, the SPECS Spatial Benchmark, the Migration Agent, and a new Native Development Kit.
As AI continues to evolve, SPECS will play a pivotal role in making AI more useful. By understanding context and what users are trying to accomplish, AI can provide guidance and information precisely when and where it's needed, enhancing the overall user experience.
Privacy and Trust
At Snap, privacy has always been a core design principle. SPECS are designed with transparency, asking for clear consent before accessing sensitive information and using an LED indicator to signal when recording is taking place. They prioritize on-device processing and give users control over data storage, syncing, sharing, and deletion.
SPECS in Action: A Creative Collaboration
To showcase the creative potential of SPECS, we've collaborated with renowned photographer Steven Meisel and a group of visionaries: Jimmy Butler, Imogen Heap, Hoyeon, Jack Harlow, and Kaia Gerber. These individuals are working with Snap to envision new SPECS experiences that will be unveiled this fall, emphasizing creativity, expression, presence, and play.
Pre-Order SPECS Today
SPECS are now available for pre-order at SPECS.COM for $2,195, with a $200 refundable deposit. They are expected to ship this fall in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
As we take this significant step towards a future where technology enhances our lives, we remain committed to our vision. SPECS represent a leap forward in natural computing, and we can't wait to see the innovative experiences they will inspire.
