Snap pushes augmented reality, launches fifth gen AR glasses

Snap Inc. is once again venturing into hardware with new augmented reality (AR) glasses, aiming for a future where consumers replace their smartphones and tablets with glasses that overlay digital elements onto the real world. While Snap envisions its AR glasses as the future of computing, the smart glasses and mixed-reality market has yet to gain the traction many had anticipated.

At its Partner Summit in Los Angeles, Snap introduced the fifth generation of its Spectacles AR glasses, along with a new proprietary operating system for smart glasses. However, these new Spectacles are currently intended for developers, who must pay $99 per month for a year to develop AR apps for the device. This subscription-based model indicates that the consumer market isn’t yet ready for AR glasses, and the technology hasn't advanced enough to replace smartphones.

Design and Quality

Snap’s new AR glasses are bulkier than traditional eyewear, with thick frames and lenses powered by Snap’s waveguide technology and “Liquid Crystal on Silicon micro-projectors” for AR functionality. Each arm houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. A key upgrade from previous models is the larger field of view, nearly tripled to simulate a 100-inch display.

The glasses also include external cameras for world tracking and hand gesture control, similar to Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest headsets. Battery life remains limited, lasting only 45 minutes, and adding a larger battery to this size of frame remains a challenge. These glasses, like the Vision Pro, are clearly not designed for extended daily use.

Snap OS

Snap also claims improved visuals and a new operating system called Snap OS, featuring a redesigned user interface that can be controlled via hand gestures and voice commands. Users can access the main menu by holding up their hand and tapping icons to perform tasks like closing apps.

Despite its previous attempts, Snap has struggled to break into consumer hardware. Its first smart glasses, launched in 2016 for $130, allowed users to record short videos for Snapchat but didn’t sell well, leading to a $40 million loss in unsold inventory. Another premium version in 2019 also failed to catch on. In 2021, Snap introduced more advanced AR glasses but sold them only to developers, signaling they were more of a prototype than a consumer product.

Snap also briefly sold a flying drone for $230, but it was discontinued after just a few months.

Still, Snap remains committed to AR hardware. Although the market has yet to see a breakout product, competition in the space is intensifying.

Meta, through its partnership with Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica, has launched two generations of Ray-Ban smart glasses, which, though lacking AR functionality, allow users to livestream to Facebook and Instagram and interact with Meta’s AI assistant.

Meta’s continued investment in hardware, despite reporting a $4.5 billion loss in its Reality Labs division, suggests Snap could adopt a similar model of selling AR glasses at a loss to consumers in the future.

Meanwhile, Apple has entered the AR market with its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, testing consumer readiness for a $3,499 device that offers both AR and VR experiences.