• by Colin Kirkland , Yesterday

As Snap readies its upcoming launch of Specs, an AR glasses product in direct competition with Meta, Google, and Apple, the social media company has announced the establishment of a separate Specs-specific subsidiary. 

In doing so, Snap is attempting to generate “greater operational focus and alignment” around the wearable product, with hopes to “grow a distinct brand” ahead of Specs’ launch later this year.

Snap’s AR Specs have been in development for over a decade. Over the summer, Snap announced that its new Specs product would enter the market before competing augmented reality (AR) wearables from competitors. 

Struggling to overcome market challenges, including user growth stagnation in the U.S. and Europe, Snap is relying on Specs to provide the company with a new revenue stream. 

Building from the fifth-generation Specs, which launched in 2024, Snap says its 2026 model has an overhauled browser that is faster, more powerful and easier to use, along with a new gallery experience that enables users to scan through Snap gallery content within the glasses display, and a Spotlight Lens addition via an integrated short-form video feed.

The AR product will be powered by an updated operating system and will feature a new interface. 

Snap’s decision to create its own Specs-specific company also aims to provide investors with a “clearer valuation of the business.” Following the launch of its first Specs product in 2017, the company lost $40 million in unsold wearables. Therefore, if Snap’s upcoming Specs fail to appeal to consumers, the company will preserve its social media business.  

The new Specs wearables are slated to become available for purchase around one year before Meta and Apple release their respective new generation AR glasses.