Snap’s US$2,195 Specs glasses put standalone augmented reality to the test

Snap has unveiled Specs, standalone augmented-reality glasses priced at US$2,195, marking the company’s biggest consumer bet yet on mixed reality. The glasses are designed to deliver headset-like functions without a separate puck, controller or tethered connection.

A hands-on review by Engadget found a more polished operating system and applications with practical uses, including walking directions powered by Mapbox, Italian-to-English captions, anchored AR windows and an AR keyboard. Specs also support hand tracking, shared experiences such as dominoes and a travel mode that keeps streaming content anchored while a passenger is in a moving vehicle.

The glasses weigh 132 grams and are available in 47 mm and 52 mm sizes. Their 51-degree field of view was described as large enough to be useful, although content could still be cut off. Engadget said the smaller frames were a better fit and that the glasses felt secure during a roughly 20-minute demonstration, while noting that their long-term comfort had not been established.

Snap claims battery life of up to four hours with “mixed use”. A separate US$200 charging case is planned with up to four additional charges and cellular connectivity through partnerships with Verizon and other carriers. Pricing for the case’s cellular data plans has not been disclosed.

Connectivity could remain a constraint: streaming and navigation require Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot unless the cellular-enabled case is used. The added accessory and data plan could increase the cost of a device that Engadget questioned whether consumers beyond AR enthusiasts would embrace.

Snap has worked on glasses for about a decade and AR-enabled frames for roughly five years. Pre-orders are open in the US, UK and France, with shipping expected later this fall. The company is also launching an enterprise programme for businesses.