Snap partners with Qualcomm to launch AI glasses later this year after years-long hiatus

Snap gets closer to releasing new AI glasses after years-long hiatus | TechCrunch

Snap has announced a new partnership between its AR-glasses focused subsidiary, Specs, and chipmaker Qualcomm, as the company revs up for the release of its wearable later this year. The Snapchat creator has been teasing the release of the glasses -- dubbed Spectacles, or merely Specs -- for a long time and, earlier this year, it spun off a new company to specifically focus on the business venture. In February, the company abruptly parted ways with Scott Myers, its SVP of Specs, over a reported "blow-up" between himself and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel. The newly announced partnership with Qualcomm shows signs of life for the project. Specs will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR platforms, which are its systems-on-a-chip designed to power augmented and virtual reality devices, a press release states. The two companies will develop "on-device AI, cutting-edge graphics, and advanced multiuser digital experiences" as part of a multi-year strategic agreement, a press release claims. "Our work with Qualcomm provides a strong foundation for the future of Specs, bringing developers and consumers advanced technology and performance that pushes the boundaries of what's possible," Spiegel said. The saga of Specs has been a long one. Snap originally began developing the product over a decade ago. The last consumer-facing version of the glasses was released in 2019. Since 2024, the glasses have been a developer-only product -- giving Snap the opportunity to work on seeding new kinds of programs that the company hopes will draw users to it upon launch.

Snap unit to use Qualcomm chips for upcoming AI smart glasses

April 10 (Reuters) - Specs, the Snap smart glasses unit formed early this year, will use Qualcomm chips for its upcoming devices under a multi-year deal announced on Friday, marking its first major move. The Specs smart glasses launching later this year will use the Snapdragon XR processor platform, the two companies said on Friday. ⁠Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The deal builds on a years-long tie-up that has seen Qualcomm (QCOM.O), opens new tab chips power multiple previous generations of Snap's developer-focused smart glasses called Spectacles. Snap established its Specs unit in January to compete with Meta (META.O), opens new tab, whose Ray-Ban AI smart glasses developed with EssilorLuxottica (ESLX.PA), opens new tab have become one of ⁠the few breakthrough successes in the race for AI-powered gadgets. The Specs unit aims to provide more independence to the team that is working on smart glasses ⁠and also opens room for external investment, the Snapchat-parent has said. Friday's announcement comes after activist investor Irenic Capital ⁠Management, which disclosed an economic interest of about 2.5% in Snap's Class A shares, last week ⁠pushed the company to either spin off or shutter its Specs unit and cut costs. Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Snap's AR glasses inch closer to reality with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips

Snap's AR glasses ambitions might be starting to look a lot more real. In an official announcement, Snap has said it has expanded its partnership with Qualcomm through a multi-year strategic agreement that will bring Qualcomm's Snapdragon silicon to future generations of Specs. The company describes this as the first flagship engagement for Specs Inc, which will be launching Specs wearable later this year. What was revealed in the announcement According to Snap, future Specs devices will run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR platforms, while the company says it will provide the foundation for edge AI, on-device processing, advanced graphics, and lower-power performance. Snap is framing this mix as essential for building AR glasses. Recommended Videos Snap is clearly trying to position Specs like an always-on computer instead of the tethered demos. Why this actually matters for Snap Sony has been working on AR eyewear for years through Spectacles, but this latset announcement seems more serious because it is tied to a long-term hardware roadmap. The company says its collaboration with Qualcomm already stretches back more than five years, with Snapdragon platforms having powered multiple earlier generation of Spectacles. So the new agreement is meant to provide a more predictable foundations for developers and partners building apps for the platform. Snap also added that the collaboration will focus on things like on-device AI, improved graphics, and advanced multiuser digital experiences. In simplers terms, Snap is saying it wants its glasses to handle AR interactions without feeling slow, power-hungry, or dependent on a phone. There is still a lot that Snap isn't saying yet. The company hasn't shared detailed consumer hardware specs, pricing, or launch timing beyond later in 2026. Though, Snap clearly wants developers and buyers to see Specs as a long-term computing platform, and Qualcomm is now being positioned as the chip partner that could help make it possible.

Snap, Qualcomm Ink Multi-Year Deal To Power Future AR 'Specs' - Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM), Snap (NYSE:SNAP)

The deal focuses on powering future generations of "Specs" with Snapdragon system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions. Scaling The AR Ecosystem The collaboration aims to bring advanced intelligent computing to wearable hardware. This marks the first flagship engagement for Specs. The subsidiary plans to launch its standalone AR eyewear to consumers later this year. These see-through glasses integrate digital content directly into physical spaces. Snapdragon XR Integration Specs will utilize Snapdragon XR platforms to handle complex tasks. The technology combines edge AI with high-performance, low-power compute. This foundation allows context-aware experiences to run directly on-device. Both companies aim to make computing feel more human and seamless. A Foundation Of Innovation The agreement builds on a five-year history between the two firms. Snapdragon platforms previously powered several generations of Snap's Spectacles. "Our work with Qualcomm provides a strong foundation for the future of Specs," said Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO of Snap. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon noted that the next era of computing involves devices that understand sight and sound. "Our work on future generations of Specs will enable power-efficient interactive AR devices," Amon stated. The partnership supports a predictable product cadence for developers and partners. Competitive Landscape Intensifies SNAP Price Action: Snap shares were up 0.61% at $4.98 during premarket trading on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data. Image via Shutterstock This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

Snap unit to use Qualcomm chips for upcoming AI smart glasses

April 10 (Reuters) - Specs, the Snap smart glasses unit formed early this year, will use Qualcomm chips for its upcoming devices under a multi-year deal announced on Friday, marking its first major move. The Specs smart glasses launching later this year will use the Snapdragon XR processor platform, the two companies said on Friday. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The deal builds on a years-long tie-up that has seen Qualcomm chips power multiple previous generations of Snap's developer-focused smart glasses called Spectacles. Snap established its Specs unit in January to compete with Meta, whose Ray-Ban AI smart glasses developed with EssilorLuxottica have become one of the few breakthrough successes in the race for AI-powered gadgets. The Specs unit aims to provide more independence to the team that is working on smart glasses and also opens room for external investment, the Snapchat-parent has said. Friday's announcement comes after activist investor Irenic Capital Management, which disclosed an economic interest of about 2.5% in Snap's Class A shares, last week pushed the company to either spin off or shutter its Specs unit and cut costs. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)