As workers look for more ways to be productive at home and in the office, wearable technology has often proved a useful tool, offering quite literally a new dimension for users.
Augmented Reality (AR) headsets have been around for a few years, with Microsoft, Meta and Apple all among the big players getting involved – but these headsets have often proved clunky and overbearing.
AR glasses have instead offered a new opportunity for those looking for some extra assistance in everyday life – I went to try out the new Snap Specs ahead of their UK launch.
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First impressions
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first – tech-enabled glasses (specifically those made by Meta) are under the microscope somewhat at the current moment in time, with rulings over what they can and can’t do emerging in courts across the world.
Snap has explicitly looked to offer a whole new kind of experience, with the new sixth-generation Snap Specs much more obviously an accessory – it’s pretty obvious when wearing them that (unless you’ve gone full Nathan Barley) these aren’t a typical pair of glasses.
The smooth black material is nice to touch, and sits against your face with no issues. Configuring the glasses takes only a few seconds, with control of the device mainly in AR, with two buttons on the arms of the glasses helping with recording and resetting if needed.
Unlike other AR glasses, the big selling point of Snap Specs is that they don’t need to be tethered to a smartphone, so you can wear them wherever you want – with a portable charging pad helping to top up battery life when needed.
As the Snap Specs are still fairly new, a lot of the app showcases and demos I saw looked to show off how AR can help entertain or educate – but there were some work use cases too.
My glasses came loaded with Google Docs, with typing carried out on a virtual keyboard which could prove perfect if you need to write up some quick thoughts or emails when away from your desk. You might get a few odd looks while typing in mid-air, but when inspiration strikes, needs must – and it can also connect to a Bluetooth keyboard if you’d prefer.
The glasses are also able to capture video clips up to 30 seconds and still images, useful for creative workers across the spectrum – whether you’re getting a picture of a billboard idea, or seeing something in the wild that would be perfect for your next piece of artwork, you can quickly grab an image or video without needing to whip out your phone.
Snap Specs also features a built-in browser, which does everything you would hope – but also doubles as a media viewer, so whether you need to work on or review a new presentation or promotional video, or just want to catch up on some YouTube, the glasses can be a useful tool.
The voice AI assistant was also fast and effective when answering my questions (even if I doubted its accuracy on finding the nearest tube station to our location), and using Google Maps with a heads-up display was an absolute game-changer, although again it might depend on how you feel walking down the street wearing a £2,000 pair of glasses.
Perhaps the most striking demo was the translation tool – when looking at someone speaking in a foreign language, their speech would be instantly translated and shown in a speech bubble overlaying them – essentially like subtitles when watching a TV show. This could be an incredible tool for business meetings in foreign countries, and might well be the killer app for technology such as Snap Specs.
So will the £1,999 Snap Specs be the future of work? Given that the more fun demos I saw involved playing dominoes, improving my football skills, a drawing tutorial and enjoying an interactive Harry Potter experience involving a pet owl and the sorting hat, I’m not sure it’s there just yet – but I can’t wait to see where the technology goes next.
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