According to Android Police, Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. has established a new subsidiary called Specs Inc. to develop a “new type of eyewear” that directly challenges Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses. The company claims it has been working on this project, codenamed “Specs,” for a decade, and the glasses will feature see-through lenses for 3D augmented reality and a proprietary AI intelligence system. The first pair of Specs smartglasses is currently slated for release in 2026, though no exact date is set. This move comes as Snapchat, an early pioneer with its Spectacles line dating back to 2016, has seen its influence wane against competitors like Meta. Specs Inc. is currently in a hiring phase and building its brand ahead of the product launch.
Snap’s Long Game
Here’s the thing: Snapchat isn’t new to this. They were the cool kids with the camera-glasses and the weird vending machines back in 2016, way before Meta made it mainstream. But they kind of fumbled that lead, right? Their Spectacles became more of a niche creator tool, especially the latest developer-focused model. So this “Specs Inc.” move feels like a total reset. It’s Snap saying, “Okay, we’ve learned from our hardware experiments, we’ve watched the market, and now we’re going all-in with a dedicated company to build the next big thing.” Forming a whole new subsidiary is a serious commitment. It signals they’re not just iterating on old Spectacles; they’re trying to build a platform.
The AI and AR Promise
The details are super vague, but the promises are huge. See-through lenses for 3D objects in the real world? A “first-of-its-kind” AI that understands you? It sounds like they’re aiming for true augmented reality, not just a camera and speakers on your face like the current Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The more interesting bit is how they’re talking about productivity—replacing manuals and whiteboards. That’s a much broader vision than just capturing snaps for your Story. But let’s be real: everyone is slapping “AI” on everything now. The real test will be if their AI feels genuinely useful and private, or if it’s just another glitchy assistant. Can they actually deliver a wearable computer that people want to use all day? That’s the billion-dollar question.
A Crowded 2026
Snapchat picking 2026 is no accident. That’s the year the entire industry is pegging for smartglasses to potentially go mainstream. Samsung and Google are rumored to have something cooking. Apple’s Vision Pro is slowly (very slowly) trying to pave the way. And Meta will be on what, its fourth or fifth generation by then? So Specs Inc. isn’t just launching a product; it’s entering a battlefield. Their advantage? They have a decade of experience in wearable cameras and a deep connection with a young, creative user base. Their disadvantage? They’re going up against some of the richest tech companies on the planet. It’s a classic David and Goliath scenario, except David has been practicing with a slingshot for ten years.
What It Really Means
For users, this is great news. More competition means better products and maybe even lower prices. For developers, a new AR platform from a company that knows social could be a huge opportunity—if Snap makes it easy to build for. Basically, Snap is betting its future on making the digital world physically wearable. It’s a risky, expensive move. But if their Specs can actually deliver that seamless blend of AI and AR they’re hyping, they could leapfrog right back to the front of the pack. If not, well, it might be the end of their hardware dreams. Either way, the smartglasses race just got a lot more interesting.
