Introducing SPECS Augmented Reality Glasses: A Revolutionary Step Towards a More Immersive and Natural Computing Experience
Today, we are thrilled to unveil SPECS, our groundbreaking augmented reality (AR) glasses, at the Augmented World Expo 2026. This announcement marks a significant milestone in our journey at Snap, where we've been tirelessly working towards a future where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives, enhancing our connections and experiences.
A Vision for a More Natural Computing
From the inception of Snap, our mission has been to harness technology's potential to foster deeper human connections. This belief naturally led us to explore the realm of augmented reality, a field that has captivated our imagination for over a decade. We envisioned a future where computers could understand and interact with the world in a way that mirrors our own, not just through text and taps, but through sight, sound, movement, and context.
As computers evolved, becoming smaller, more powerful, and more personal, they also became more demanding of our attention. We found ourselves constantly looking down at screens, missing out on the people around us, the places we explore, and the things we seek to learn. It was clear that technology needed to adapt, and that's precisely what we set out to do with SPECS.
SPECS: Computing Redefined
SPECS is our answer to the challenge of creating a computer that seamlessly integrates into our daily lives. Instead of distracting us from the present, SPECS enhances our engagement with the world around us. By bringing computing into our immediate surroundings, we can access information, entertainment, and assistance while remaining fully immersed in our surroundings.
Built for Everyday Life
Building a computer that fits into a pair of glasses is no easy feat. Our primary goal was to create something powerful enough for augmented reality but light enough to be worn comfortably for extended periods. We wanted to avoid the trade-offs often seen in AI glasses and headsets, where lightweight designs come at the expense of functionality, and powerful devices can feel cumbersome and isolating.
SPECS achieves this delicate balance through its fully standalone design, free from any puck or tether. Crafted from high-performance Swiss TR90 polymer, the glasses come in two sizes: the 47 mm model weighs just 132 grams, while the 52 mm model weighs 136 grams. Removable inserts ensure compatibility with a wide range of prescriptions, making them accessible to a diverse audience.
A Display Like No Other
At the heart of SPECS lies our proprietary liquid crystal on silicon technology, delivering a 51-degree field of view and 16 million colors. This results in a display that feels like a 24-inch desktop monitor when working or a 115-inch home cinema screen placed about 10 feet away when watching a movie. The display system is designed to provide a seamless and immersive visual experience, enhancing our perception of the world around us.
Redefining Waveguide Technology
To achieve this level of clarity and immersion, we redesigned our waveguide technology. Our new waveguide utilizes billions of invisibly small nanostructures, so tiny that more than 10,000 can fit on the tip of a single hair. This cutting-edge technology, inspired by Boeing 787 Dreamliner windows, enables the electrochromic lenses to gently shift from clear to tinted in just 10 seconds, ensuring a smooth and natural transition between the digital and physical worlds.
Technology That Feels Natural
Every design decision behind SPECS revolves around the idea that technology should enhance our lives without intruding on them. SPECS are not meant to replace the world; instead, they are designed to help us engage with it more deeply. By seamlessly integrating computing into our daily routines, SPECS empower us to live more fully and meaningfully.
Computing in the Moment
The true promise of augmented reality lies in its ability to make computing useful in the moment. Imagine walking through a city and seeing directions precisely where you need them, measuring spaces without the need for a tape measure, or receiving AI assistance while working on a project without having to stop and search for answers.
SPECS can transform any environment into a workspace, allowing you to cast screens, stream content, open whiteboards, and collaborate with others while remaining aware of your surroundings. And because augmented reality is inherently social, SPECS enable entirely new kinds of shared experiences, fostering connections and creativity.
Lenses: Unlocking Shared Experiences
Developers have already created hundreds of Lenses for SPECS, unlocking shared experiences that screens cannot. From reading the green to overlaying interactive lessons onto your drum set with Drum Kit, and education tools like Vector Fields that make invisible forces visible, the possibilities are endless. These Lenses demonstrate the potential of augmented reality to enhance learning, work, creation, and play in ways we've only begun to imagine.
Built to Understand the World
For augmented reality to feel truly natural, digital experiences must understand the physical world around us. That's why SPECS are powered by two Snapdragon processors, one dedicated to computer vision and the other to running Lenses. Together, they enable fast hand tracking, low latency, and responsive interactions, ensuring that digital content feels anchored in the real world.
SPECS deliver 7-millisecond motion-to-photon latency, verified through advanced robotic measurement systems. With up to four hours of mixed-use battery life, including audio and video playback, Lenses, AI assistance, Bluetooth notifications, and more, SPECS are designed to keep up with our daily activities without constant recharging.
A Platform for Developers
Every significant computing platform has been defined by the software built for it. The PC became meaningful because developers created software for it. The web flourished because developers built websites. Smartphones thrived because developers created apps. We believe that augmented reality will follow a similar path, and we are committed to supporting developers in this journey.
Over the past year and a half, we've shipped 10 Snap OS updates with more than 40 new features and APIs. Developers have already published hundreds of Lenses for SPECS, and today we're introducing even more tools to facilitate their work. We're excited to see what developers create next, especially as AI opens up new possibilities for augmented reality.
AI That Can See What You See
AI becomes more useful when it understands context. With SPECS, AI isn't confined to a text box; it can see what you see, comprehend what you're trying to accomplish, and provide assistance in the moment. This enables guidance to appear precisely where needed, information to be connected to the objects and places around you, and developers to build experiences that respond intelligently to the real world in real-time.
We believe that AI and augmented reality are a natural fit, both helping people better understand and interact with the world around them. However, technology like this only works when people trust it, and we are committed to building that trust from the beginning.
Privacy from the Beginning
Privacy has been a core design principle at Snap since our inception. SPECS are designed to be transparent about their operations, clearly requesting permission before accessing sensitive information and indicating when recording is taking place through an LED indicator. We prioritize on-device processing and give users control over what gets stored, synced, shared, or deleted, ensuring that people understand what information is being used and remain in control of their experience.
Creativity Inspires Technology
One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is witnessing how technology becomes meaningful when creative people use it in unexpected ways. That's why we're launching a global SPECS campaign photographed by Steven Meisel, featuring Jimmy Butler, Imogen Heap, Hoyeon, Jack Harlow, and Kaia Gerber. Each Visionary has been working with Snap to imagine new SPECS experiences that will debut this fall, supporting creativity, expression, presence, and play.
We're excited to share more later this year, and we invite you to join us on this journey as we explore the limitless possibilities of augmented reality with SPECS.
Pre-order SPECS Today
SPECS are now available for pre-order at SPECS.COM (https://www.specs.com/) for $2,195, with a $200 refundable deposit. SPECS are expected to ship this fall in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. We've spent years envisioning what computing could look like if it worked more naturally with the way people experience the world, and today marks an important step towards that future. We believe that the best technology doesn't pull us away from life; it helps us live it more fully and meaningfully.
