Snap tries to make the case again for its $2,200 smart glasses

Snap used a Los Angeles event to outline several new features and partnerships intended to give its $2,200 Specs smart glasses clearer utility. The company showcased entertainment integrations with services such as HBO Max and Spotify, alongside demos highlighting augmented reality experiences and live onstage presentations by CEO Evan Spiegel.

Central to the announcements was Specs Intelligence, which Snap described as an "anticipatory AI" system that learns from connected apps and devices to help users manage projects, routines and relationships. Company executives framed the capability as an operating-layer that can connect AR effects (Lenses) across phones, Macs and the glasses themselves, though the system also appears usable without wearing Specs.

Snap additionally launched a Specs for Enterprise program, aiming to embed the glasses into workplace workflows. The company said it is partnering with firms including Amazon, Salesforce and Nvidia to support deployment, device management and security controls, and presented an example use case showing an IT technician receiving hands-free assistance via the glasses.

Other offerings introduced at the event included a basketball-practice AR app developed with the NBA/WNBA and a separate cellular connectivity package with a charging case and built-in data service. Connectivity will be offered through Verizon at $10 per month for Verizon customers and $20 per month for non-Verizon customers. Snap also announced a Specs pop-up in Los Angeles in October, ahead of the device's planned shipment later this fall.