June 17, 2025 – Snap Inc. has recently announced that it will launch a new version 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.
According to Snap, the device integrates AI assistance, spatial computing, and shared AR experiences in a compact form factor. The glasses are aimed at both entertainment and productivity use cases, offering tools for gaming, streaming, and real-world interaction.
“We believe the time is right for a revolution in computing that naturally integrates our digital experiences with the physical world,” stated Snap CEO Evan Spiegel. “We couldn’t be more excited about the extraordinary progress in artificial intelligence and augmented reality that is enabling new, human-centered computing experiences. We believe Specs are the most advanced personal computer in the world.”
Snap noted that its AR Lenses are used 8 billion times per day and that over 400,000 developers have created more than 4 million Lenses through its platform. The fifth generation of Spectacles was released in 2024 for developers, laying the foundation for the consumer 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 (as demonstrated by AWE CEO and co-founder Ori Inbar at AWE USA 2025 last week).
- Cookmate by Headraft – recipe suggestions and kitchen guidance.
- Wisp World by Liquid City – whimsical interactive adventures.
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 respond 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 target location-based content creators, such as guided navigation for AR tours and remote 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 build a shared, AI-powered map of the world. Finally, the company announced WebXR support in the Specs browser to enable developers to build, test, and access WebXR experiences.
For more information on Snap’s upcoming Specs, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: Snap Inc.
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.