Snap Makes Another Attempt to Justify Its $2,200 Smart Glasses
Following a disastrous spring launch, Snap unveiled new features and partnerships for its Specs smart glasses at a Los Angeles event, aiming to prove the expensive device has real purpose. Announcements included entertainment integrations, enterprise tools and a connectivity plan, though some use cases remain unclear.
Snap is trying to rebuild confidence in its Specs smart glasses after their spring debut triggered widespread mockery and a drop in the company's stock. Priced at $2,200 and compared by critics to scuba gear, the glasses even prompted calls for CEO Evan Spiegel to step down.
At a Los Angeles event this week, Spiegel and other Snap executives introduced several new features meant to give Specs a clearer sense of purpose. The glasses can now connect to HBO Max and Spotify for entertainment.
Anticipatory AI and enterprise push
The headline announcement was Specs Intelligence, described by Snap as an "anticipatory AI" system that works with the glasses as well as devices like iPhones and Macs. The company says it builds an understanding of a user's goals, priorities and routines to help them make progress on long-term objectives. In practice, it functions more like an AI productivity app than a glasses-specific feature.
Snap also launched Specs for Enterprise, a program integrating the device into corporate workflows through partnerships with Amazon, Salesforce, Nvidia and other companies. A demo showed an IT technician using the glasses to repair hardware, and Spiegel mentioned mobile device management and security controls as key enterprise use cases.
Sports app, cellular add-on and pricing
A partnership with the NBA and WNBA produced an app that uses the glasses' AR capabilities to help users practice basketball shots, though wearing the heavy device during play seems impractical. Snap additionally announced a cellular connectivity package with Verizon for use away from Wi-Fi, sold separately as a charging case — priced at $10 a month for Verizon customers and $20 for others.
Spiegel framed Specs as a human-centered alternative to AI replacing jobs or virtual worlds replacing reality. Snap plans a Specs pop-up in Los Angeles in October ahead of the device's shipment later this fall.
