In a significant move signaling its long-term commitment to augmented reality, Snap has announced the formation of a new subsidiary, Specs Inc. This new entity will be solely dedicated to the development and advancement of its AR glasses, Specs, ahead of a highly anticipated consumer launch later this year.
The strategic spin-off aims to provide “greater operational focus and alignment” for the AR hardware division, allowing it to iterate and innovate more rapidly. While Snap has been a pioneer in AR for over a decade, this move positions the company to compete more aggressively in the burgeoning smart glasses market.
A Strategic Move for Greater Focus
Snap’s journey with AR hardware began over ten years ago, but the last consumer version of its glasses was released in 2018. Since 2024, the fifth-generation hardware has been an exclusive developer-only product. This strategy has allowed Snap to cultivate a robust ecosystem of applications and experiences, ensuring the wearable is populated with compelling programs before it reaches the mass market.
The creation of Specs Inc. underscores Snap’s seriousness in carving out a significant share of the AR market, putting it in direct competition with tech giants like Meta and Apple who are also investing heavily in smart glasses.
Inside the New Specs Experience
The upcoming consumer version of Specs promises a deeply immersive spatial experience, powered by four cameras that enable advanced hand tracking. This hardware works in tandem with the company’s Snap Spatial Engine, the core software that projects AR imagery onto the user’s view.
The glasses run on Snap OS, which saw its latest version released last September. Key features of the new operating system include an improved web browser and an AI-powered function called “spatial tips,” which can provide auto-generated information about objects in the user’s field of vision. The device also includes a “travel mode” for translating foreign text on signs and menus in real-time.
Gaming is another major focus, with collaborative features allowing multiple users to see and interact with the same AR objects in a shared physical space, opening up new possibilities for social and multiplayer experiences.
Relevance for the MENA Tech Scene
While Snap is a global entity, this intensified push into AR hardware holds significant implications for the MENA region. With one of the world’s youngest and most digitally-connected populations, MENA is a key market for Snapchat and emerging consumer technologies.
The launch of consumer-ready Specs could unlock substantial opportunities for regional developers, creators, and brands. Local developers can build tailored AR experiences and games for a culturally relevant audience, while retail and e-commerce brands can leverage the technology for innovative virtual try-on and immersive shopping experiences. This move by a major platform player is also likely to stimulate further investment and interest in the region’s own AR and VR startup ecosystem.
About Snap Inc.
Snap Inc. is a technology company that believes the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. The company contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together. It is the parent company of Snapchat, a popular visual messaging app, and is a leader in augmented reality technology.
Source: TechCrunch
