Snap Inc. launches augmented-reality glasses priced at $2,195, signaling a hardware push despite challenges in its advertising segment.
Snap Inc. introduced its first consumer augmented-reality glasses, Specs, priced at $2,195, positioning the device as a new computing platform in the AI era. The launch follows over $3.5 billion in investments into the hardware unit, even as the company faces pressure on its advertising business and calls from an activist investor to divest or shut it down.
The glasses, unveiled at the Augmented World Expo in California, overlay digital content onto real-world views, offering features like navigation, AI-powered responses, and video capture. Shipping is expected this fall in the US, UK, and France. CEO Evan Spiegel cited rising memory chip costs as a key factor in the high price.
Shares of SNAP fell 1.6% following the announcement. Analysts noted the price point remains high for mass adoption, with Moor Insights & Strategy’s Anshel Sag calling it “a bit on the high end.”