Snapchat's parent company, Snap Inc., is releasing new augmented reality glasses called Specs for £1,995 ($2,195) in the UK and US. The glasses, designed for everyday use with a 4-hour battery, offer AI assistance, web browsing, and AR gaming, but analysts question mainstream adoption due to the high price.
Snap has launched its long-awaited consumer smart glasses, Specs, priced at $2,195. Available for preorder June 16th and shipping this fall in the US, UK, and France, Specs feature on-device computing, Snapdragon processors, and up to 4 hours of battery life. The glasses offer gaming, video playback, internet browsing, and contextual AI features, but their high price point targets tech enthusiasts and developers.
Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, promising significant performance upgrades for AR devices. It features a 60% GPU boost, 30% CPU increase, and up to 160% higher NPU performance, with improved battery life and cooling.
NuCurrent demonstrated a prototype Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses charging wirelessly via NFC, potentially enabling slimmer designs by eliminating the need for bulky pogo pins. This tech could lead to more fashionable and diverse smartglasses in the future.
Meta's smart glasses platform reportedly includes unreleased face-recognition code designed to identify people using biometric data stored on users' phones. The code was discovered by WIRED.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon revealed the company is developing over 40 AI-powered device designs, including smart glasses and wearable pins. He predicts AI agents will become the new 'center of gravity' for digital life, shifting focus from smartphones and fundamentally changing user interaction with apps.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon revealed the company is working on over 40 AI device designs, including wearables like jewelry and earbuds, as AI agents are poised to become the new 'app,' potentially shifting focus from smartphones to new form factors like smart glasses.
Meta tested face-recognition software from Rank One Computing, a company selling surveillance tools to police and the US military. The license, obtained by WIRED, suggests a business relationship as Meta explores bringing the technology to its smart glasses.
National Taiwan University disqualified an applicant for using AI smart glasses to cheat on a medical school entrance exam. Two other applicants were disqualified for misrepresenting their Science Olympiad awards. The university reported the AI cheating attempt, leading to revised testing protocols.
Meta swiftly updates its smart glasses companion app to remove dormant facial recognition code ("Name Tag") after its discovery by Wired, amid privacy concerns and previous controversies surrounding the device.
Code for a facial recognition feature called "NameTag" has been found in Meta's AI app, suggesting the company is exploring its use with smart glasses. While not active, the feature could identify people through the glasses.
Meta's AI app for smart glasses contains code for a face recognition feature called "NameTag," which was found by WIRED. Though not yet active, the feature could transform faces into biometric signatures and identify people captured by the glasses.
Ofqual data reveals mobile phones and smart devices are the most common exam malpractice, making up 44% of cases last year. Examples include hidden earpieces and smart glasses with covert text displays.
Potsdam verbietet Smartglasses mit Kameras in seinen Schwimmbädern und Saunen, um Badegäste vor unerwünschten Aufnahmen zu schützen. Das Verbot wird in die Haus- und Badeordnung aufgenommen. Das Personal soll geschult werden, die Brillen zu erkennen, die oft kaum von herkömmlichen Brillen zu unterscheiden sind. Das Verbot reagiert auf die zunehmende Verbreitung von heimlich aufgenommenen Videos, oft unter dem Schlagwort "rizz", in sozialen Medien.
Potsdam verbietet Smart Glasses in seinen Schwimmbädern und Saunen, um die Privatsphäre der Badegäste zu schützen. Das Verbot wird in die Haus- und Badeordnung aufgenommen, und das Personal wird geschult, die Geräte zu erkennen.
Meta has launched its AI smart glasses, Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta, in South Korea. These glasses feature a 12MP camera and AI assistant that can translate signs, identify objects, estimate calories, and recommend fashion items via voice command, potentially serving as a smartphone alternative.
SB C&S launches the "AiLENS V1" AI smart glasses on June 5th for ¥87,780. The glasses feature a Green MicroLED display, real-time translation for 76 languages, notifications, and AI assistant functions via a smartphone app. They also support voice-to-text for users with hearing impairments and have a 10-hour battery life.
Google and Samsung are set to launch their first Android XR smart glasses this fall. Experts predict sales could exceed 2 million units in the first year, capturing nearly 20% market share, though Meta is expected to remain the market leader.
Xreal CEO Chi Xu believes the smart glasses industry is nearing an inflection point, citing improvements in hardware, operating systems, and user interfaces. Despite past financial struggles, Xreal's Project Aura aims to offer functional XR glasses with features like immersive maps and virtual displays, with a commercial launch planned for later this year and an IPO before the end of 2026.
Young women in Germany are being secretly filmed and their videos shared online using smart glasses. This practice, often occurring in public spaces, highlights a legal gap in German law regarding digital violence and privacy.
Google I/O 2026 heavily featured AI, unveiling an intelligent Search box with multimodal inputs, the Gemini Spark digital assistant for task automation, and new Android XR smart glasses. The company also adjusted its AI subscription tiers, introducing a mid-range plan and enhancing existing ones.
Refurbished Viture Luma Pro smart glasses are available for $271 on eBay with code LONGWEEKEND. Other deals include a Nintendo Switch USB camera for $29.99 and the Asus ROG Xbox Ally for $499.99.
Xreal's Project Aura AR glasses offer an immersive experience beyond entertainment, featuring hand tracking, a 70-degree FOV, and a tethered puck. Positioned as a pro-level device, they can function as an external display for laptops, aiming for productivity use cases.
Die Rokid Glasses bieten AR-Display und KI-gestützte Live-Übersetzung. Im Test überzeugen die Funktionen, sind aber teils unausgereift. Die Akkulaufzeit ist solide, die Kameraqualität mäßig. Preis: 569 Euro.
