Snap Inc, the parent company of instant messaging app, Snapchat, has unveiled the third-generation of its Augmented Reality sunglasses, called Spectacles 3. As can be seen in the image above, the devices follow the minimalist design language of Spectacles 2 with lightweight steel frames and thin bezels, as opposed to the oversized, plasticky, first-generation devices.
The most important feature, however, is the addition of a second HD camera that allows the glasses to record in 3D. In a blog post on Tuesday, Snapchat said that the two HD cameras will help capture “depth and dimension the way your eyes do, and power new augmented reality creative tools to enhance your Snaps”.
Snapchat also announced a whole range of new 3D Effects that will allow users to create their own magic moments by adding new lighting, landscapes and more. The Spectacles also come with a built-in 3D Viewer to enable users to view their own memories or enjoy someone else’s perspective.
Priced at $380 a pop, Spectacles 3 will ship this fall and are available to pre-order in carbon black and a rose-gold ‘mineral’ color options at Spectacles.com. While the first-generation Spectacles were priced much more affordably at $129 apiece, the second-gen models were launched at $200.
It will be interesting to see how this latest generation of Spectacles are received by consumers, given that neither of its predecessors have been a sales success, with the company having to write off $39.9 million in losses on the first-gen models. Snapchat hasn’t reported losses on the second-gen models, but they don’t seem to have fared much better, either.
