Introduction to Snap’s New Specs
Snap Inc. has recently announced the launch of a new edition of its Spectacles wearable device, called “Specs,” in 2026. Introduced at AWE USA 2025, the upcoming Specs are designed as lightweight, immersive smart glasses featuring see-through lenses that layer digital experiences over the physical world.
Features of Specs
According to Snap, the device integrates AI assistance, spatial computing, and shared AR experiences in a compact form factor. The glasses are aimed toward each entertainment and productivity use cases, offering tools for gaming, streaming, and real-world interaction. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel stated, “We consider the time is correct for a revolution in computing that naturally integrates our digital experiences with the physical world. We couldn’t be more excited concerning the extraordinary progress in artificial intelligence and augmented reality that’s enabling recent, human-centered computing experiences. We consider Specs are essentially the most advanced laptop computer on the planet.”
Developer-Built Experiences
Snap noted that its AR Lenses are used 8 billion times per day and that over 400,000 developers have created greater than 4 million Lenses through its platform. The fifth generation of Spectacles was released in 2024 for developers, laying the muse for the patron launch of Specs. Current developer-built experiences include:
- Super Travel by Gowaaa – real-time translation and currency conversion for travelers.
- Drum Kit by Paradiddle – musical instruction through AR overlays.
- Pool Assist by Studio ANRK – guided pool shot recommendations.
- Cookmate by Headraft – recipe suggestions and kitchen guidance.
- Wisp World by Liquid City – whimsical interactive adventures.
Updates to Snap OS
The company also announced major updates to its Snap OS, including:
- Deep integrations with OpenAI and Gemini on Google Cloud – enables multimodal AI-powered Lenses that reply to what users see, say, or hear.
- Depth Module API – enables 3D anchoring of AR data using LLM-generated inputs.
- Automated Speech Recognition API – supports real-time transcription in 40+ languages.
- Snap3D API – generates 3D objects inside Lenses.
- Privacy-focused camera access via Remote Service Gateway.
- OpenAI and Gemini integrations – multimodal AI for applications like translation and AR gameplay.
Additional Tools and Partnerships
Additional tools goal location-based content creators, akin to guided navigation for AR tours and distant fleet management for managing multiple pairs of Specs. Snap also announced a partnership with Niantic Spatial to bring its Visual Positioning System to Lens Studio and Specs to construct a shared, AI-powered map of the world. Finally, the corporate announced WebXR support within the Specs browser to enable developers to construct, test, and access WebXR experiences.
Conclusion
The upcoming Specs by Snap Inc. are set to revolutionize the best way we interact with the physical world by integrating digital experiences through AI assistance, spatial computing, and shared AR experiences. With a big selection of developer-built experiences and updates to its Snap OS, Specs are poised to turn into a game-changer on the planet of augmented reality. For more information on Snap’s upcoming Specs, please visit the corporate’s website.
