Snap's New Spectacles Raise the Bar in AR Smart Glasses

Snap Inc. has made significant strides in the smart glasses arena with its Spectacles series, evolving its designs and capabilities toward augmented reality (AR). Starting with an intuitive design to capture photos and videos seamlessly integrated with the Snapchat app, each generation of Snap Spectacles pushed the concept further.

By 2019, Snap’s third-generation Spectacles featured a bold, cyberpunk-inspired aesthetic that laid the groundwork for future AR models. In 2021, Snap acquired Wave Optics, a major waveguide tech firm, signaling its commitment to immersive AR.

The latest Spectacles maintain a unique, albeit bulky, design to accommodate technical limitations and a vertical aspect ratio that mirrors Snapchat’s 9:16 format, enabling a shared experience for mobile and Spectacles users alike. Powered by advanced displays, these glasses feature dual waveguide technology with a 46-degree diagonal field of view and an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. Designed for outdoor and well-lit environments, the displays adjust tinting for enhanced visibility, though productivity functions are limited due to the narrower horizontal view.

Source: Anshel Sag / Forbes