When Snap unveiled its long-awaited smart glasses, Specs, earlier this year, the launch drew mockery online and pressured the company amid a subsequent dip in its stock price. The device’s bulky, scuba-like appearance and $2,200 price tag left many observers questioning its place in the market.
Since that debut, Snap has been trying to articulate why a heavy, expensive wearable should exist. At an event in Los Angeles this week, CEO Evan Spiegel and other executives introduced new features, integrations, and enterprise programs intended to clarify the product’s purpose.
Entertainment and device integrations
At Wednesday’s event Spiegel presented a series of live demos and promotional material. Specs can now connect with entertainment services such as HBO Max and Spotify, adding interactive media options that many smart-glasses products have lacked.
Specs Intelligence: an "anticipatory AI"
The event’s headline software announcement was Specs Intelligence, described by Snap as an "anticipatory AI" system. The company says the system will pair not only with the glasses but also with iPhones and Macs. According to Snap, the AI "builds an understanding of your goals, priorities, relationships, and routines from the apps and tools you choose to connect, helping you focus on what matters now while making progress towards your longer-term goals."
Spiegel characterized the initiative as an "AI native operating system with intelligence designed around your projects," aimed at linking "Lenses" (Snap’s AR camera effects) across phones and Specs so users can get things done while focusing on what matters. In practice, Specs Intelligence appears to operate more like an AI productivity layer that can be used with the glasses but does not require them.
Enterprise push and partnerships
Snap also announced a program called Specs for Enterprise to integrate the device into corporate workflows. The company disclosed partnerships with several technology firms, including Amazon, Salesforce, and Nvidia, intended to make the device useful for employees in those organizations.
The demonstrations suggested the most immediate real-world use cases are for IT technicians: one demo showed a technician repairing hardware with guidance provided through the glasses. Spiegel said Snap is building mobile device management, security controls, and deployment and management tools with trusted providers to give IT departments peace of mind.
Consumer use cases remain unclear
Some consumer-focused experiences announced at the event raised questions about practicality. For example, an app developed with the NBA and WNBA is designed to help users practice basketball shots via AR, but it’s unclear who would realistically want to play while wearing a heavy, goggles-like headset.
Snap also introduced a separate connectivity package for mobile use away from Wi‑Fi. The bundle includes a charging case with built-in cellular connectivity, provided through a partnership with Verizon. That connectivity costs $10 per month for Verizon customers and $20 per month for non-Verizon customers.
Positioning and next steps
Spiegel framed Specs as a more human-centric way to engage with computing, rejecting narratives that AI or virtual worlds should make people irrelevant. Snap has defended the product’s $2,200 cost by arguing that the device is effectively a wearable computer. Whether consumers will accept that positioning remains to be seen.
The company said it will host a Specs pop-up in Los Angeles in October before the devices ship later this fall.
