The upcoming revamp of Snap’s spectacles is still a top-secret project, with the majority of the company’s staff still being left in the dark, according to a report from TechCrunch. However, the word is that the second iteration will be quite different to the first, and all signs point toward AR being the key.
It’s no secret that Snap is interested in the potential of AR. In April 2017, Snapchat added a feature known as World Lenses, allowing users to place animated imagery in a scene which then maintains its position relative to its surroundings to allow for novel photos and videos.
However, AR features designed for the second-generation wearable will likely go far beyond this kind of functionality. Previously, patent filings have revealed that Snap was looking into the production of an AR helmet and an AR visor, as well as its Spectacles.
Snapchat’s Spectacles are one of the most unusual tech products to have launched in recent years, and a rare example of a social media company expanding out into hardware. The glasses were initially launched in very small quantities, and were only available for purchase via a pop-up vending machine know as Snapbot — which invariably ran out of stock wherever it appeared.
While Snap is moving ahead with plans for a follow-up, don’t expect to see the inaugural version of its Spectacles disappear just yet. There’s currently no word on when the second-generation wearable will be ready for the public, and its predecessor just received an expanded release in Europe earlier this month.
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