Snap Specs to Launch in 2026 as Competitor to Meta's AI Smart Glasses

Snap has announced that it will launch a new product called 'Specs' next year, as a consumer version of its augmented reality (AR) smart glasses. The parent firm behind Snapchat, the video and photo-based messaging platform, has already launched five generations of AR glasses, but access has been limited to developers. The upcoming Snap Specs product will offer support for machine learning and an AI assistant, and users will also be able to share games with friends. It is also expected to work with the Snapchat app.

Snap OS Updated With OpenAI, Gemini on Google Cloud

At the ongoing Augmented World Expo 2025 in California, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel announced that the company will launch a pair of AR smart glasses called Specs in 2026. The first commercially available smart glasses from Snap will be a "wearable computer integrated into a lightweight pair of glasses", according to the executive.

A demo of a use accessing recipes on the Snap Spectacles
Photo Credit: Snap

Snap says it has invested $3 billion (roughly Rs. 25,650 crore) and spent the past 11 years developing AR glasses. The fifth generation of Snap's smart glasses was released last year, but like its predecessors, it was restricted to developers.

The upcoming Snap Specs will run on the company's in-house Snap OS and offer support for "three-dimensional" AI assistance. The company hasn't shared any details of the Snap Specs' specifications, but we can expect more details to surface online in the coming months.

Last year's developer-only model was equipped with two Snapdragon chips, a battery that could offer up to 45 minutes of use on a single charge, and titanium vapour chambers for improved thermal performance.

Snap OS has also received multiple updates, including support for integrations with OpenAI and Gemini on Google Cloud. Developers can add AI-powered Lenses for Snapchat that offer currency conversion or text translation, or access to recipes based on visible ingredients. Meanwhile, new Depth Module, Snap3D, and Automatic Speech Recognition APIs will also be available to developers, according to the company.