Snap frames new $2,195 Specs as fashion-forward computing
Snap’s new Specs pair a high price with a bold design as the company tries to sell smart glasses as a more human way to use computers.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Snap has introduced new Specs glasses priced at $2,195, putting its latest wearable far above mainstream accessory territory. The launch matters because Snap is presenting the device as both a computing product and a fashion object, a difficult mix for smart glasses makers.
In an interview with CNBC, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said the company has worked on Specs for more than 12 years. Spiegel described the glasses as part of an effort to bring computing into the physical world and make it feel more human, according to CNBC.
Spiegel told CNBC the product is meant to help people stay connected to what is around them rather than spend time looking down at phones. He also said people are tired of screens, according to the interview.
A high-fashion pitch
The Verge reported that Snap is presenting the new Specs as an aspirational gadget with a fashion-first campaign. The publication said the company’s global advertising push was shot by Steven Meisel, a fashion photographer known for work with Vogue and luxury fashion houses including Versace, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga and Loewe.
The design appears to be central to that pitch. The Verge described the Specs as having thick frames, an angular shape with some resemblance to aviator sunglasses and large arms that appear heavy around the ears.
That styling sets the glasses apart from more ordinary eyewear, but it also points to one of the problems facing companies that want people to wear computers on their faces. The Verge characterized the Specs as bold and distinctive, closer to a statement accessory than a neutral pair of glasses.
The screen issue
The Verge also noted a tension in Snap’s message. During Spiegel’s CNBC appearance, the publication observed that movement and light made the outline of the glasses’ display visible through the lenses while Spiegel was talking about reducing dependence on screens.
That contrast highlights a broader challenge for smart glasses: the product has to make its technology useful without making wearers feel separated from the people around them. Snap’s stated goal, according to Spiegel’s CNBC comments, is to make computing less phone-centered and more connected to the surrounding world.
At $2,195, the new Specs are not being presented as a low-cost consumer accessory. The Verge’s assessment was that Snap may not be trying to make these glasses a mainstream fashion item at launch, despite the high-profile advertising and polished positioning.
For now, Snap’s new Specs sit at the intersection of wearable computing, screen fatigue and fashion branding. The company is asking buyers to accept a conspicuous design in exchange for a different way to use digital tools, according to CNBC and The Verge’s reporting.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.