Snapchat has announced the fourth-generation of its Spectacles product, the first with full built-in augmented reality features. Described as the next step in Snap’s journey to reinvent the camera, the new glasses are wireless, can display 3D effects onto the real world and include hand tracking. However, they are currently only available for AR effects developers by application and their battery only lasts 30 minutes.
The fourth-generation Spectacles weigh 134 grams and can be worn indoors or outdoors. They claim up to 2,000 nits of display brightness, a 26.3-inch diagonal field of view and come with a touchpad control on the side so that the wearer can switch between AR effects. Snap said the two front-facing cameras use the software Snap created for its smartphone Lenses to automatically detect physical surfaces.
Additional features include stereo speakers to capture audio and allow voice control as well as a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 platform to unlock maximum processing power. No release date or price were disclosed.
Separately, Snap also announced a number of new AR-led initiatives and tools, including partnerships with Lego and Disney as well as new AR shopping experiences with Farfetch and Prada. The company said it is partnering with Disney to layer AR effects at Disney parks and has created the first connected lens with the Lego group so that Snapchatters can collaboratively build with Lego bricks on the app.
