Snap announces smart AR glasses to challenge Meta and Google
What's the story
Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, announced a new pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses, called Specs.
The tech giant revealed that it plans to launch these lightweight and immersive spectacles in 2026, competing with other major players like Meta and Google.
The move is part of CEO Evan Spiegel's vision for the future beyond smartphones.
Specs launch
'AI and AR enabling new computing expertises'
"We believe the time is right for a revolution in computing that naturally integrates our digital experiences with the physical world, and we can't wait to publicly launch our new Specs in 2026," Spiegel said.
He added, "We couldn't be more excited about the extraordinary progress in artificial intelligence and augmented reality that is enabling new, human-centered computing experiences."
Specs features
Specs described as 'the most advanced personal computer'
Spiegel described the upcoming Specs as "the most advanced personal computer in the world." He said, "We can't wait for you to see for yourself."
The announcement was made at the Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2025, an annual event dedicated to AR/XR.
While details about the upcoming Specs in 2026 are still scarce, Snap has hinted that they will be lightweight and immersive.
AR advancements
Snap has been investing in AR development for years
Snap has been investing in AR development for years. In 2024, the company released its fifth-generation Spectacles for developers, paving the way for the public launch of Specs in 2026.
The company also revealed that its AR Lenses in the Snapchat camera are used eight billion times a day, with over 400,000 developers creating more than four million Lenses using Snap's AR tools.
Tech partnerships
Snap OS gets major updates, integrates with OpenAI and Gemini
Snap is working with Niantic to integrate its Visual Positioning System (VPS) into Lens Studio development tools and smart glasses.
The company also announced major updates to Snap OS, including integration with OpenAI and Gemini on Google Cloud.
This will allow developers to build multimodal AI-powered Lenses and publish them for the Spectacles community.