Looking Snappy

With its new Spectacles 3 eyewear, Snapchat hopes you give augmented reality more than a fleeting glance.

IN 2016, SNAPCHAT unveiled Spectacles, a pair of glasses equipped with a smartphone-connected camera. Unfortunately, the market reaction was not enthusiastic and the first model disappeared quietly into the night – though not before costing Snapchat nearly US$40 million in unsold inventory.

But the company hasn’t given up on the underlying technology. Snapchat recently unveiled Spectacles 3, now outfitted with twin HD cameras. The company’s aim is to increase its capabilities in the augmented reality landscape. The addition of a second camera provides depth to captured images, allowing a new suite of 3D effects for Spectacles users.

The glasses also boast a more appealing design, with adjustable tips, lightweight steel hardware, tinted lenses, a full-grain leather case (which also serves as a charger) and two colour options: black ‘carbon’ and gold-hued ‘mineral’. A button at the top allows you to take photos and capture videos of up to 60 seconds, which are then wirelessly synced to your phone. Snapchat launched the US$380 Spectacles 3 as a limited edition, perhaps to drum up demand against competitors, like Amazon’s new Echo Frames, or perhaps so that excess supply stays out of the picture.