Snapchat has announced the next stage in its AR wearables push, with the launch of Snap OS 2, the latest version of its operating system for its upcoming AR Spectacles.
Snap OS 2 will power Snap’s AR glasses, which are set to hit the market next year, as it seeks to maximize its early momentum in the space, and become a key player in the next stage of AR usage.
As explained by Snap:
“One year ago, we introduced our fifth-generation Spectacles and brand new operating system, Snap OS. Snap OS is the software that brings Spectacles to life, enabling a new kind of computer and real-time AI-powered experiences that invite people to interact naturally with the world using their hands and voice. As we look forward to the public launch of Specs in 2026, we’re excited to introduce Snap OS 2.0. which both offers our community a new interface and makes possible Lenses that will bring utilities, like enjoying content, browsing, and staying in touch – to Spectacles.”
The updated operating system will facilitate a range of improved use cases and presentation options, which Snap’s hoping will help to drive take-up of its coming AR device.
Among the key updates, Snapchat says that it has:
- Overhauled the Spectacles Browser to make it faster, more powerful, and easier to use. With a new minimalist design that feels right at home in Snap OS
- Added a new gallery experience, so you can easily scan through content in your Snap gallery within the glasses display
- Added a new dedicated Spotlight Lens, so you can watch Snap’s short-form video feed overlaid on your view.
Snapchat’s also set to launch a new AR game, called “Synth Riders,” which will enable users to engage with a rhythm-based experience within the Spectacles display. Synth Riders is already available on various VR surfaces, with this new version specifically aligned to the Snap AR experience.
Snapchat’s also planning to add a heap more Lens options, created by its burgeoning community of AR creators, adding more experiences to the initial Spectacles AR package.
Which, again, is expected to be coming to consumers next year, as Snap looks to get a head start on Apple and Meta with its AR wearables experience.
Though that is going to be a major challenge, not only in terms of logistics, and actually launching a viable AR product, but also in terms of building AR glasses that will be able to compete with the latest high-tech gadgets from these two much more well-resourced giants.
Thus far, all indications are that Snapchat’s AR Spectacles will be far less advanced than Meta’s glasses, while Apple continues to build the next stage of its Vision Pro product. Meta’s AR device is expected to have more power, more battery life, and a wider field of view than Snap’s glasses.
And also, Meta’s working hard to ensure that its AR device will be cheaper, even with these advances.
Meta’s in a position to do this because it has far more resources to throw at the project, and like Apple, if Meta really wants to win the AR race, it’s hard to see how Snap can possibly keep up. But maybe, through first-mover advantage, Snap will be able to use its connection with its audience to gain enough early traction ahead of Meta’s AR glasses launch (expected in 2027), and that could be enough to spark interest, and maximize sales of the device.
But I don’t know.
Snapchat’s initial Spectacles kicked off with a wave of hype, only to die down shortly after, leaving Snapchat with millions worth of unsold inventory.
I can see this happening again with AR Spectacles, and I think it’s a mistake for Snap to be essentially betting the future of its company on the product, given the market forces at play.
But Snapchat’s been building towards this for a decade, and as such, it seems unlikely to change course at this late stage.
