Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,106
38,858



Four months after launching the second version of Spectacles, Snapchat today revealed two new styles of its wearable glasses, called "Nico" and "Veronica." Instead of the circular lenses with colorful styles, the new Spectacles come in black-on-black with polarized lenses and more traditional sunglasses designs.

new-spectacles.jpg

Otherwise, the glasses appear to be largely the same as the the models that were announced in April. You can capture up to 70 videos or "hundreds" of photos on a single charge, and all the content will be transferred to your connected smartphone via Bluetooth. Nico and Veronica also retain the Spectacles 2's water resistance feature, so you don't have to worry about wearing them in the rain or at the beach.

In the fall, Snapchat says that a new Spectacles feature will debut that automatically curates your Spectacles Snaps into one Highlight Story. The company explains that this should make it "faster and easier" to find your favorite recorded moments and share them with your Snapchat friends after you've recorded a lot of videos and photos.

In addition to polarized lenses, The Verge reports that another difference between the new Spectacles and the models from April is a new black "semi-soft" carrying case. This is another aim by Snapchat to be more subtle with its Spectacles line, as the original devices all came with a bright, hard yellow charging case.

According to Snapchat, the April launch of Spectacles 2 saw a 40 percent increase in content uploaded to Snapchat via Spectacles:
Snap says that since the introduction of Spectacles 2, users have been posting, on average, 40 percent more photos and videos captured with the glasses. The company has also made it easier to share that content on other platforms outside Snapchat by adding automatic camera roll saves and by allowing users to export video in more conventional square and horizontal formats.
Those interested can purchase the Nico and Veronica Spectacles on Snapchat.com today for $199.99. Following the online launch, the updated Spectacles will be sold at select Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus retail stores in the fall, as well as a "variety of retailers in Europe." Prescription versions will also be available through Lensabl.

The new Spectacles come after Snapchat lost millions of users throughout 2018, following its controversial redesign that began rolling out in November 2017. During its second quarter earnings results, the company said it went down from 191 million daily active users in Q1 2018 to 188 million in Q2, "primarily driven" by the "disruption caused by our redesign," according to CEO Evan Spiegel.

Still, Spiegel at the time said that Snapchat is working to iterate and improve the app based on community feedback, promising that the major frustrations have already been addressed.

Article Link: Snapchat Introduces Two New Spectacles Designs With Polarized Lenses for $200
 
This is exactly the type of product I envision when someone takes you aside, and pulls open their trench coat to make a sale.
 
I like my Snapchat v2 glasses. People ask about them, don’t mind video or photo of themselves and ask where they can buy.

vast difference than with Google Glass. ;)
 
I loved my original Spectacle glasses. I received overwhelmingly positive responses when I wore them to events and such.
I do understand that there can be a negative connotation with a camera on your face, but I was always completely transparent with what they were, how they worked, where I got them at, etc. I've even let friends borrow them to go to concerts and theme parks.
 
I like my Snapchat v2 glasses. People ask about them, don’t mind video or photo of themselves and ask where they can buy.

vast difference than with Google Glass. ;)

I would mind and if I found out someone was using them to take photos or videos of me they’d be getting punched in the head.
 
"...new styles of its wearable glasses..." I'm glad you made it clear these aren't drinking glasses.

By all means, Snapchat should start selling drinking mugs/glasses that film you while you are drunk and then curate your videos of drunkenness into a playlist so that your friends, boss and other contacts can see.

I’m behind sarcastic. I find the whole candid camera thing to be creepy as heck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scooz
They’re actually cool hardware. Unfortunately tied to using the app but I get why they did it.
 
Nico and Veronica also retain the Spectacles 2's water resistance feature, so you don't have to worry about wearing them in the rain or at the beach.
Right. Now all you have to worry about is that someone with tacky, oversized shades is secretly videoing you.
 
I would mind and if I found out someone was using them to take photos or videos of me they’d be getting punched in the head.

The images were taken to demo AFTER people expressed curiousity, not anger.

not one image uploaded or shared via snapchat app.

Meanwhile, of my more typical photo subjects — not one cloud formation, butterfly or flower has complained, and I have caught numerous moments that would have been lost while pulling out my phone.
 
By all means, Snapchat should start selling drinking mugs/glasses...
They should just own the creepiness, by, instead of "sneaking" the camera into things like sunglasses, take the route of headlamps as used by backpackers and such - a little box on your forehead, held on by a headband. Would make it super obvious that the person was filming.
 
Like it or not the future will be full of people walking around with AR eyewear that constantly record and analyze everything they see.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.