Snap's Specs smart glasses are lighter and more comfortable, but their purpose remains unclear
A TechCrunch writer who tried Snap's Specs AR glasses reports a major comfort improvement over the earlier prototype. At about $2,200, however, the device still appears to lack a clear purpose.
Specs, the augmented-reality glasses from Snap, the US company behind the Snapchat social network, have become considerably lighter and more comfortable than an earlier prototype. That is the assessment of Lucas, a senior writer at the tech outlet TechCrunch, after trying the device in San Francisco. Pre-orders are already open, but at roughly $2,200 he questions whether the glasses currently offer enough to justify the price.
A more comfortable body
The writer first tested a prototype earlier this year at CES in Las Vegas. It weighed about 8 ounces, sat uncomfortably on the face and got hot, leaving his skin tingly. In late October he met the Snap team again at a hotel in downtown San Francisco and saw the newer version. It now weighs 132 grams, or roughly 4.6 ounces, and did not heat up during an hour-long demo.
Specs now come in two sizes, 47mm and 52mm, to fit different head sizes, and have spring hinges that make the frame more flexible and comfortable. Snap describes the glasses as a "new kind of computer", and CEO Evan Spiegel presented them publicly at a company event.
The question of purpose
According to the writer, the device still lacks a defined role. When he asked Snap staff whether it was meant for fun and games or for productivity, the answer was vague.
The use cases he found most convincing were:
- watching TV and films on public transport, using the HBO Max and YouTube integrations;
- reading while travelling, since the glasses helped him focus;
- shooting photos and videos and quickly sharing them with friends.
He is less convinced by two other directions. Snap pitches Specs as a workspace tool, but he finds a phone and laptop more convenient. As a gaming device, the price is also a barrier, since most Xbox consoles cost less than half as much.
He singles out the spatial synchronisation technology, which lets two users see the same thing at once, as an impressive achievement. With further development, he says, the device could become useful in many ways, but what it offers now may not be compelling enough to justify the cost.
