Snap is upgrading the software that powers its augmented reality glasses as it gets ready for the first non-developer version of its "Specs" next year. The latest update to Snap OS includes an improved web browser, as well as the ability to browse Spotlight videos in AR.
The company has long said that one of its goals for AR glasses is to enable people to spend less time staring at their phones. Snap hasn't quite accomplished that yet, but Snap OS is starting to get more features that could help the company get there.
The company has redesigned the browser in Snap OS to make it easier to switch between sites and resize windows to different aspect ratios. It's also faster and more power efficient, with the ability to watch around 40 minutes of continuous video playback. (The current version of Spectacles tops out at around 45 minutes of battery life.) Speaking of video, Spectacles is also getting a dedicated lens for browsing Spotlight, Snapchat's short-form video platform. There's also a new gallery lens that allows you to preview photos you've snapped with the glasses' onboard camera and quickly scroll through them with hand gestures.
The update arrives one year after the company first showed off its somewhat goofy-looking AR glasses. Since then, hundreds of developers have been experimenting with the device and creating their own AR lenses for the platform. But those experiences have so far had a very limited reach as the company has only made its AR Spectacles available to developers willing to pay a pricey subscription. That's set to change sometime in 2026, though, when Snap says it will start selling a smaller, lighter and more capable pair of glasses.
The company has yet to divulge details about the redesigned form factor or what powers "Specs" will have. But the new version of Snap OS shows the company is trying to make its AR platform more useful.
Jim Lanzone, the CEO of Engadget’s parent company Yahoo, joined the board of directors at Snap on September 12, 2024. No one outside of Engadget’s editorial team has any say in our coverage of the company.
