Following the widely criticized debut of its Specs smart glasses earlier this year, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and company executives returned to Los Angeles this week to reframe the narrative around the controversial $2,200 device. The initial reveal was met with online ridicule and a sharp decline in the company’s stock price, prompting Snap to aggressively pivot its marketing strategy toward utility and enterprise integration.
During the Wednesday event, Snap introduced “Specs Intelligence,” a new “anticipatory AI” system that Spiegel described as an AI-native operating system. Rather than functioning solely as AR glasses, the system pairs with iPhones and Macs to build a profile of user goals, routines, and priorities. Snap claims the technology helps users connect the dots across their various applications, effectively serving as a productivity tool that complements rather than requires the wearable hardware.
In a significant move toward business adoption, Snap launched “Specs for Enterprise,” partnering with major tech firms including Amazon, Salesforce, and Nvidia. These collaborations aim to integrate the glasses into corporate workflows, with a particular focus on IT departments. Demo footage showcased technicians using the AR capabilities to assist with hardware repairs. “We’re building out mobile device management, security controls, and ways to deploy and manage stacks across teams with the world’s most trusted providers,” Spiegel said, emphasizing that the goal is to bring stability to IT operations.
The announcement also highlighted new entertainment integrations with HBO Max and Spotify, addressing previous criticisms regarding a lack of interactive media options. However, some features drew skepticism. A partnership with the NBA and WNBA will allow users to practice basketball shots via AR, a use case many observers questioned given the glasses’ heavy, goggles-like design.
For users needing connectivity outside of Wi-Fi, Snap announced an optional cellular charging case through a partnership with Verizon. The add-on costs $10 per month for Verizon customers and $20 for non-Verizon subscribers. Despite the mixed reception of the hardware’s form factor and price point, Spiegel defended the product’s philosophy, stating that Snap believes computers should make people more important, not less, in an era where AI fears are prevalent.
Snap has scheduled a pop-up event in Los Angeles for October before the Specs officially ship later this fall.
I’m surprised they are still pushing the consumer angle. $2,220 plus a $20 monthly cellular fee is just too steep for a flawed form factor.
Actually, if Specs for Enterprise actually stabilizes IT workflows with Nvidia and Salesforce integration, this might be the only viable use case for the hardware.
$2,200 for AR basketball practice? The enterprise pivot feels like a desperate rebrand after that humiliating launch. Hard to take seriously.