Snapchat has introduced the subsequent stage in its AR wearables push, with the launch of Snap OS 2, the most recent model of its working system for its upcoming AR Spectacles.
Snap OS 2 will energy Snap’s AR glasses, that are set to hit the market subsequent 12 months, because it seeks to maximise its early momentum within the house, and turn into a key participant within the subsequent stage of AR utilization.
As defined by Snap:
“One 12 months in the past, we launched our fifth-generation Spectacles and model new working system, Snap OS. Snap OS is the software program that brings Spectacles to life, enabling a brand new sort of laptop and real-time AI-powered experiences that invite individuals to work together naturally with the world utilizing their fingers and voice. As we sit up for the general public launch of Specs in 2026, we’re excited to introduce Snap OS 2.0. which each presents our group a brand new interface and makes potential Lenses that can convey utilities, like having fun with content material, shopping, and staying in contact – to Spectacles.”
The up to date working system will facilitate a spread of improved use instances and presentation choices, which Snap’s hoping will assist to drive take-up of its coming AR machine.
Among the many key updates, Snapchat says that it has:
Overhauled the Spectacles Browser to make it sooner, extra highly effective, and simpler to make use of. With a brand new minimalist design that feels proper at dwelling in Snap OS
Added a brand new gallery expertise, so you possibly can simply scan by content material in your Snap gallery inside the glasses show
Added a brand new devoted Highlight Lens, so you possibly can watch Snap’s short-form video feed overlaid in your view.
Snapchat’s additionally set to launch a brand new AR sport, known as “Synth Riders,” which can allow customers to have interaction with a rhythm-based expertise inside the Spectacles show. Synth Riders is already out there on varied VR surfaces, with this new model particularly aligned to the Snap AR expertise.
Snapchat’s additionally planning so as to add a heap extra Lens choices, created by its burgeoning group of AR creators, including extra experiences to the preliminary Spectacles AR bundle.
Which, once more, is predicted to be coming to shoppers subsequent 12 months, as Snap seems to get a head begin on Apple and Meta with its AR wearables expertise.
Although that’s going to be a serious problem, not solely by way of logistics, and truly launching a viable AR product, but additionally by way of constructing AR glasses that can be capable of compete with the most recent high-tech devices from these two way more well-resourced giants.
To this point, all indications are that Snapchat’s AR Spectacles can be far much less superior than Meta’s glasses, whereas Apple continues to construct the subsequent stage of its Imaginative and prescient Professional product. Meta’s AR machine is predicted to have extra energy, extra battery life, and a wider area of view than Snap’s glasses.
And in addition, Meta’s working onerous to make sure that its AR machine can be cheaper, even with these advances.
Meta’s ready to do that as a result of it has much more assets to throw on the venture, and like Apple, if Meta actually needs to win the AR race, it’s onerous to see how Snap can probably sustain. However possibly, by first-mover benefit, Snap will be capable of use its reference to its viewers to achieve sufficient early traction forward of Meta’s AR glasses launch (anticipated in 2027), and that may very well be sufficient to spark curiosity, and maximize gross sales of the machine.
However I don’t know.
Snapchat’s preliminary Spectacles kicked off with a wave of hype, solely to die down shortly after, leaving Snapchat with thousands and thousands value of unsold stock.
I can see this occurring once more with AR Spectacles, and I feel it’s a mistake for Snap to be basically betting the way forward for its firm on the product, given the market forces at play.
However Snapchat’s been constructing in the direction of this for a decade, and as such, it appears unlikely to vary course at this late stage.
