Social media app, Snapchat, is gearing up to challenge tech giants, Meta and Google, with the launch of its first-ever smart glasses for all consumers next year.
Snap, parent company of Snapchat, made this announcement on Tuesday, June 10, that it will launch consumer augmented reality glasses to the public in 2026, marking the company’s first attempt to sell AR eyewear to everyday users after years of targeting only developers.
The announcement was made at the Augmented World Expo 2025, an annual event for AR/XR.
Snap describes the upcoming augmented reality (AR) glasses Specs as the world’s most advanced personal computer. While details about the Specs in 2026 are still scarce, Snap has hinted that they will be lightweight and immersive.
Snap has been investing in AR development for years. In 2024, the company released its fifth-generation Spectacles for developers, paving the way for the public launch of Specs in 2026.
The company also revealed that its AR Lenses in the Snapchat camera are used eight billion times a day, with over 400,000 developers creating more than four million Lenses using Snap’s AR tools.
Snap has invested over $3 billion in AR hardware development since its inception. CEO Evan Spiegel emphasized, “Before Snapchat had chat, we were building glasses.”
Snap will partner with Niantic Spatial, a geospatial tech firm, to enhance AR functionality and development through Lens Studio.
Industry leaders like as Meta, Google, and Apple are all making significant investments in wearable AR technologies. Meta’s Ray-Ban Meta smart spectacles, developed in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, have received great user feedback and will continue to evolve with better AI features.
