SNAP AR GLASSES
Snap targets enterprises with Salesforce, Nvidia AI tools for augmented-reality glasses
Snap on Wednesday announced partnerships with companies including Salesforce, Nvidia and Amazon Web Services to integrate workplace tools into its Specs augmented-reality glasses, courting enterprise demand to carve a foothold in the heavily contested market.
Look at them look at you: For a low-privacy, low-consent society like India, AI glasses pose risks that outweigh benefits
AI glasses are emerging as a new computing platform for companies like Meta. These devices continuously capture audio and images, raising privacy concerns for wearers and bystanders. Indians' pragmatic approach to privacy makes the market especially attractive for these intrusive technologies. While offering benefits, AI glasses could lead to widespread decentralized surveillance across society. Strong safeguards and user consent are essential to mitigate these significant privacy risks.
Snap Bets on AR Glasses again, this time with SPECS priced at $2,195 for pre-order
Snap has unveiled SPECS, its most advanced augmented reality glasses yet, as the company intensifies its push into the emerging spatial computing market. Priced at $2,195 and available for pre-order, the AI-powered glasses combine navigation, productivity tools, entertainment features, and contextual assistance directly within the user’s field of view. Weighing significantly less than traditional mixed reality headsets, SPECS aim to bridge the gap between lightweight smart glasses and immersive AR devices.
Turtlemint investors IPO cash out; Ola Electric eyes Sebi settlement
Peak XV and Nexus Venture Partners are set to rake in manifold returns as insurtech company Turtlemint goes public. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
Everything you need to know about Specs, Snap’s latest venture into augmented reality
Snap has positioned the glasses as a standalone AR device that overlays 3D digital content onto the real world, aiming to bridge the gap between lightweight smart glasses such as Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, and bulkier mixed-reality headsets such as Apple Vision Pro.
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel defends Specs as long-term bet, pushes back against activist pressure
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is pushing back on investor calls to cut its augmented-reality glasses unit. The company launched its new AR glasses, called Specs, at $2,195. Spiegel stated Snap is committed to its long-term vision and independence. He indicated more details on partnerships will be shared later this year. The unit was made a standalone subsidiary in January.
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Snap bets on AR glasses in post-smartphone race
Snap, the parent company of social network Snapchat, on Tuesday launched its Specs augmented reality glasses, a major bet by a struggling company to stake out ground in the post-smartphone era. Unveiled at the Augmented World Expo in Long Beach, California, the Specs are the first standalone augmented reality glasses aimed at the general public, according to the company.
Snap layoffs: CEO Evan Spiegel cites productivity gains from AI adoption in note to employees
Snap Inc. is laying off 1,000 employees, approximately 16% of its workforce, and eliminating over 300 vacant roles. CEO Evan Spiegel cited the need for cost control and more efficient operations to achieve sustainable, profitable growth. The company aims to reduce its annualised cost base by over $500 million by the second half of 2026, partly driven by AI advancements.
Snap layoffs: Company may cut up to 1 in 5 jobs; Perplexity integration called off
Snap Inc. is reportedly planning substantial job cuts, potentially impacting 15-20% of its workforce, as reported by Alex Heath. While some teams face significant reductions, the Specs unit, focused on AR smart glasses, is expanding hiring. Meanwhile, a planned $400 million integration with Perplexity AI has reportedly been aborted due to disagreements.
Did Tim Cook hint at Apple developing AI glasses and camera wearables? What we know so far
Apple is reportedly gearing up for a new era of AI wearables. CEO Tim Cook's recent comments suggest a strong push towards devices leveraging Visual Intelligence. This technology, which analyses a user's surroundings, could power future AirPods, smart glasses, and even a pendant.
Snap seeks investments as new smart glasses unit takes on Meta
Snap is launching a new unit for its augmented reality smart glasses. This move aims to attract outside investment and challenge rival Meta. The company has invested heavily in AR technology. The new smart glasses will feature an intelligence system. Snap is actively hiring for this new venture. This positions Snap for future growth in the wearables market.
Meta began 2026 with a sharp cut of over 1,000 Reality Labs jobs – are Facebook or Instagram affected, or is Apple and Google’s AI wearables competition responsible?
Meta began 2026 with a major workforce reset, cutting over 1,000 jobs from its Reality Labs division. The layoffs, affecting nearly 10% of the unit, started on January 13 and mark the first big Bay Area tech cuts of the year. Meta says Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are not impacted. This move addresses $71 billion in losses since 2021. CTO Andrew Bosworth is now shifting capital toward AI-integrated wearables and smart glasses. This restructuring prioritizes immediate AI consumer hardware over long-term metaverse speculation to counter rising competition from Apple, Google, and Samsung’s newest 2026 platforms.
Google says its first Gemini AI Glasses will launch in 2026
Google is officially getting back into the smart glasses game — this time with AI at the centre. The company said that it plans to launch the first of its Gemini-powered glasses in 2026, marking a major comeback more than a decade after Google Glass fizzled out.
Snap to launch lightweight, immersive spectacles in 2026 as smartglass race heats up
Snap’s Specs are wearable computers that are integrated into a lightweight pair of glasses featuring see-through lenses that augment the physical world. In 2024, the parent company of the messaging app Snapchat released the fifth generation of its Spectacles specifically for developers, leading the way for the public launch of Specs in 2026.
Highest number of lenses published on Snapchat come from India: Snap CTO
Snap claims to have claims to has more than 375,000 creators worldwide in augmented reality (AR) ecosystem that have built over 4 million AR lenses.
India's AR developer community has grown by more than 50%: Snap's Pulkit Trivedi
During his opening address, Snap cofounder and CTO Bobby Murphy emphasized the company’s commitment to fostering creativity and self-expression through AR innovation in India.
Snap unveils fifth-generation of Spectacles, its augmented reality glasses
This comes days ahead of rival Meta set to showcase its AR glasses at the Meta Connect conference and Apple Inc having set the stage for its AR glasses that have reportedly been under development.
Livspace’s reverse flip; Byju’s US lenders move SC
Home decor startup Livspace is preparing to move its domicile back to India from Singapore. More on this and other updates in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Meta to shut augmented reality studio used by third-party creators
The feature, Meta Spark, will be shuttered on January 14 and third-party AR effects including computer-generated filters, masks and 3D objects created on the studio will be removed. Meta said its first-party AR effects would remain available on products including Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
AI to cut barriers to creativity for developers, creators, says Snap CEO Evan Spiegel on India visit
Spiegel emphasised the role that AI is expected to play in image and video creation. He said AI has the potential to bridge the gap between the creative visions that individuals have and the capabilities of their mobile devices.
Snap acquires Th3rd that creates digital 3D counterparts of people, products
Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, has quietly acquired 3D-scanning studio called Th3rd for an undisclosed sum.
Amazon takes a dig at metaverse as Zuckerberg makes grand plans
The tech giant's head of devices, David Limp criticised Meta's plans while speaking at the 'Future of Everything Festival'.
Google acquires MicroLED display startup for future AR headsets
The acquisition of California-based startup with MicroLED technology will help Google build next generation of augmented/virtual and mixed reality headsets amid the buzz over metaverse.
Amazon reportedly working on AR smart home product
The tech giant is looking to hire a user experience (UX) designer to work on "the core system interface along with end-user applications spanning from multi-modal interfaces to 3D AR entertainment experiences".
Digital divide: Are we already in the early stages of metaverse?
Some tech enthusiasts argue that a more modest version of the metaverse is already here.
Snap Inc hires Jacqueline Beauchere as first global head of platform safety
Snap said that after a long search it hired Jacqueline Beauchere, who will represent its safety work to regulators, lawmakers and partners and help advise on new policies and initiatives. Beauchere was at Microsoft for more than 20 years including as its chief online safety officer.
Facebook unveils its first smart glasses
The glasses, which were created in partnership with Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica, allow wearers to listen to music, take calls or capture photos and short videos and share them across Facebook's services using a companion app.
Snap to buy augmented reality company WaveOptics for over $500 million
Snap, along with other tech giants like Facebook and Apple, are racing to build AR devices as the next technological frontier after the smartphone.
Snapchat parent makes a big augmented reality push
The Spectacles will have dual 3D waveguide displays that will allow wearers to overlay the company's augmented reality filters, called Lenses, onto the real world
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