Snap's Ar Glasses Are Getting A Better Browser And Support For Spotlight Video

Snap is upgrading nan package that powers its augmented reality glasses arsenic it gets fresh for nan first non-developer version of its "Specs" adjacent year. The latest update to Snap OS includes an improved web browser, arsenic good arsenic nan expertise to browse Spotlight videos successful AR.

The institution has agelong said that 1 of its goals for AR glasses is to alteration group to walk little clip staring astatine their phones. Snap hasn't rather accomplished that yet, but Snap OS is starting to get much features that could thief nan institution get there.

The institution has redesigned nan browser successful Snap OS to make it easier to move betwixt sites and resize windows to different facet ratios. It's besides faster and much powerfulness efficient, pinch nan expertise to watch astir 40 minutes of continuous video playback. (The existent type of Spectacles tops retired astatine astir 45 minutes of artillery life.) Speaking of video, Spectacles is besides getting a dedicated lens for browsing Spotlight, Snapchat's short-form video platform. There's besides a caller assemblage lens that allows you to preview photos you've snapped pinch nan glasses' onboard camera and quickly scroll done them pinch manus gestures.

The update arrives 1 twelvemonth aft nan institution first showed disconnected its somewhat goofy-looking AR glasses. Since then, hundreds of developers person been experimenting pinch nan instrumentality and creating their ain AR lenses for nan platform. But those experiences person truthful acold had a very constricted scope arsenic nan institution has only made its AR Spectacles disposable to developers consenting to salary a pricey subscription. That's group to alteration sometime successful 2026, though, erstwhile Snap says it will commencement trading a smaller, lighter and much tin brace of glasses.

The institution has yet to divulge specifications astir nan redesigned shape facet aliases what powers "Specs" will have. But nan caller type of Snap OS shows nan institution is trying to make its AR level much useful.

Jim Lanzone, nan CEO of Engadget’s genitor institution Yahoo, joined nan committee of board astatine Snap connected September 12, 2024. No 1 extracurricular of Engadget’s editorial squad has immoderate opportunity successful our sum of nan company.