Snap’s extremely large Spectacles bring impressive AR to developers at $99 a month

Snap's new Spectacles cater to developers with AR tech and a $99/month subscription.

: Snap's Spectacles 5 are large AR glasses aimed at developers. They cost $99/month with a one-year commitment. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon, their AR is impressive despite a limited field of view. Developers can apply through Lens Studio and access support from Snap Lab.

Snap's latest Spectacles 5 are an innovative take on augmented reality glasses, primarily targeting developers. Despite their large size, the glasses weigh only half a pound, significantly less than most extended reality headsets. They come with a subscription model of $99 per month, requiring a one-year commitment, which totals just under $1,200 pre-tax.

The Spectacles 5 are powered by a pair of Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, with Snap's Spatial Engine efficiently understanding spatial positioning. Although the field of view is limited at 46 degrees, it is still nearly three times larger than that of the Spectacles 4. Developers can apply for the hardware through Lens Studio and gain access to resources from the Snap Lab team.

Snap is launching its new hardware alongside SnapOS, a new operating system built on the Android kernel to streamline platform development. They have partnered with key content creators like Lego, Niantic, and ILM Immersive, bringing cross-platform titles such as 'Star Wars' and 'Pokémon GO' to the glasses. Additionally, Snap is introducing AI video generation tools and a simplified version of its My AI chatbot to enhance user experience.