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Snap Inc. debuted its new augmented reality (AR) glasses this week at Augmented World Expo in California, and they won't come cheap.
Dubbed SPECS, Snap Inc. says the frames are a new category of their own in the wearables category: more powerful than AI glasses, lighter than VR headsets and fully standalone. They're retailing for USD$2,195, which is around $3,100 AUD by today's currency exchange.
SPECS come in two sizes, weighing 132g and 136g, and have electrochromatic lenses that are able to transition from clear to tinted in just 10 seconds. They support prescription inserts for those with vision impairments.
Like other smart glasses, SPECS will enable users to overlay digital content over their view of the real world, enabling navigation, spatial measurement, AR experiences, and contextual assistance.
Snap co-founder Evan Spiegel said, "The smartphone put our lives in our pockets. SPECS put computing into the world, where life actually happens.”
A proprietary liquid crystal display offers a 51-degree field of vision, which Snap says is the equivalent of having a 24-inch desktop or 115-inch cinema screen for streaming.
Powered by dual Snapdragon processors to enable 7ms latency, Snap Inc. is promising up to four hours of battery life, while the charging case provides four extra full charges for a full 20 hours of use.
Available to pre-order now in the United States, United Kingdom and France, the company says it's looking to bring SPECS to Australia as soon as possible.
Competition in the smart glasses market is heating up with Rokid officially launching its flagship product last month. Rokid's glasses are lighter both in weight and on your wallet, weighing just 49g with a $1,099 asking price.
Google is working with Samsung on smart glasses, and Apple is also rumoured to be working on its own smart glasses that will serve as an accessory to work in tandem with iPhone.
Dylan Crismale
Digital Content Editor
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