Snap launches $2,195 Specs AR glasses as stock falls over 5%

Snap unveiled its first consumer‑focused augmented‑reality glasses, called Specs, at the Augmented World Expo in Long Beach. The standalone device retails for $2,195 (about €2,295) and ships this fall in the United States, United Kingdom and France. Specs house two Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, a 51‑degree field‑of‑view LCoS display capable of 16 million colors, and offer up to four hours of battery life, extended to roughly 20 hours with an included charging case. The frames weigh 132‑136 g and feature interchangeable prescription inserts and electro‑chromic lenses that tint in ten seconds. Pre‑orders opened on June 16 with a refundable $200 deposit. CEO Evan Spiegel positioned the glasses as a “wearable computer” intended to move computing beyond the smartphone. Market reaction was mixed: Snap’s share price dropped more than 5% on the day of the announcement, falling from $5.86 to $4.83, as analysts questioned the high price against Snap’s core teenage audience and the competition from Meta’s cheaper Ray‑Ban smart glasses and Apple’s pricier Vision Pro headset. The company is counting on its large developer community to build a robust AR ecosystem around Specs.