Today at Augmented World Expo 2026, we introduced our new augmented reality glasses, SPECS.
When we started Snap, we believed that technology would help people connect more deeply with each other. Over time, that belief led us to an evolved reality. For more than a decade, we’ve been building toward a future where computers can understand the world the way we do, not just through text and taps, but through sight, sound, motion, and context.
Computers have become smaller, more powerful, and more personal. They went from filling entire rooms to fitting in our pockets. But as computers became more capable, they also demanded more of our attention. Too often, we look at a screen instead of the people we’re with, the places we’re exploring, or the things we’re trying to learn.
We think technology can do better. We believe that great technology fades into the background, helping when needed and getting out of the way when not. That’s why we created SPECS.
SPECS brings computing to the world around us. Instead of removing us from the moment, they make it possible to access information, entertainment, and help while engaging with the people and places around us. We believe that augmented reality is the most natural way to use computers because it matches how people already experience the world: visually, socially, and in three dimensions.
Built for everyday life
Building a computer that fits a pair of glasses is incredibly difficult. From the beginning, our goal was simple: create something powerful enough for augmented reality and light enough to wear for hours.
Today’s devices require frequent exchanges. AI glasses are lightweight but limited in what they can do, while headsets are powerful but can feel isolated and cumbersome. We wanted to create something different.
SPECS is completely separate, no buck and tether. They are made from high performance Swiss TR90 polymer and come in two sizes, the 47mm model weighs just 132g and the 52mm model weighs 136g. Removable inserts support a wide range of medications.
The display system is powered by our proprietary Liquid Crystal on Silicon technology, offering 51 degrees of field of view and 16 million colors. The result is a large, clear display that looks like a 24-inch desktop monitor when you’re working, or a 115-inch home theater screen about 10 feet away when you’re watching a movie.
We’ve also redesigned our waveguide technology to create a clear and unobstructed view of the world around you. Our new waveguide uses billions of invisible tiny nanostructures, more than 10,000 of which can fit on the tip of a single hair. SPECS uses the same advanced technology found in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner windows, so the electrochromic lenses go from clear to tinted in 10 seconds.
Every design decision came down to the same idea: technology should feel natural. SPECS is not designed to change the world. They are designed to help us engage in it.
Useful at this time
The promise of augmented reality doesn’t put screens everywhere. This makes computing useful at this time.
Imagine walking through a city and seeing the directions you need, measuring space without picking up a tape measure, or getting help from AI while working on a project instead of stopping to look for an answer. That’s what sets Augmented Reality apart.
SPECS can turn any space into a workspace. You can cast a screen, stream content, open a whiteboard, or collaborate with others while remaining aware of the people and environment around you. And because augmented reality is inherently social, SPECS enables entirely new kinds of shared experiences.
Developers have already created hundreds of lenses for SPECS, opening up shared experiences from reading screens green to overlaying interactive lessons with a drum kit to educational tools like vector fields that visualize invisible forces.
When people first hear about augmented reality, they imagine existing software floating in front of their faces. We think the opportunity is bigger than that. Some experiences help people learn, some help people work, some help people create, and some are fun. Many of them have yet to be imagined.
Built to understand the world
Digital experiences must understand the physical world around us in order to naturally experience augmented reality. That’s why SPECS is powered by two Snapdragon processors. One is dedicated to computer vision and the other is dedicated to operating the lenses.
Together, they enable fast hand tracking, low latency, and responsive interactions that help anchor digital content in the real world. SPECS offers a 7-millisecond motion-to-photon delay, verified by advanced robotic measurement systems.
SPECS offers four hours of mixed-use battery life, including audio and video playback, lenses, AI assistance, Bluetooth notifications and more. The included charging case provides four additional charges for up to 20 hours of mixed use on the go.
We’ve spent over a decade building this moment. At the same time, we’ve invested across the entire augmented reality stack, from developer tools and our operating system to displays, optics, computer vision and hardware. As part of that work we have filed more than 7,000 patents throughout SPECS development.
Building a new kind of computer requires patience, but hardware is only the beginning.
A platform for developers
Every major computing platform is defined by what people build with it. The PC became meaningful as developers created software. The Internet became meaningful as developers created websites. Smartphones became meaningful as developers created apps. We believe that augmented reality will be no different.
Over the past year and a half, we’ve shipped 10 Snap OS updates with over 40 new features and APIs. Developers have already released hundreds of lenses for SPECS, and today we’re introducing tools to help create them.
Introducing agent development for creating SPECS lenses in Lens Studio with a developer preview coming out in Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor. We’re also introducing the SPECS Spatial Benchmark, the Migration Agent, and a new Native Development Kit that allows developers to bring their own code and libraries into Lens Studio.
We’re excited to see what developers create next, especially as AI opens up entirely new possibilities for augmented reality.
AI that can see what you see
AI is most useful when it understands context. With SPECS, AI is not limited to a text box. It can see what you see, understand what you’re trying to achieve, and help in the moment.
That means guidance can appear exactly where it’s needed, information can be linked to objects and places around you, and developers can create experiences that respond intelligently to the real world in real time.
We believe AI and augmented reality are a natural fit, as they both help people better understand and interact with the world around them. Of course, this kind of technology only works when people trust it.
Privacy from the start
Privacy has been a core design principle at Snap since the beginning.
SPECS are designed to be transparent about how they work. They hear clearly before accessing important information, and an LED indicator lights up when recording is in progress. SPECS prioritizes on-device processing and puts people in control of what is stored, synced, shared or deleted.
People need to understand what information is being used and be in control of their experience. Trust is not something that can be added later – it must be built from the start.
Creativity inspires technology
One of the things we’ve learned over the years is that technology makes sense when creative people use it in unexpected ways.
That’s why we’re launching a global SPECS campaign photographed by Steven Meisel and featuring Jimmy Butler, Imogen Heap, Hoyon, Jack Harlow and Kaia Gerber. Each visionary is working with Snap to envision new SPECS experiences that will debut this fall that support creativity, expression, presence and play.
We’re excited to share more later this year.
Pre-order SPECS today
Today, SPECS is available for pre-order at SPECS.COM for $2,195 with a $200 refundable deposit.
SPECS is expected to ship this fall in the United States, United Kingdom, and France.
We’ve spent years imagining what computing would be like if it were more natural to the way people experience the world. Today is an important step towards that future.
Hopefully, better technology won’t take us out of life. It helps us live.
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