Snap is expanding its augmented-reality ambitions beyond consumers, partnering with Nvidia, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Salesforce to bring its new SPECS AR glasses into workplaces.
The company announced the enterprise push on Wednesday as it looks to position the $2,195 glasses as a hands-free computer for workers rather than simply a device for taking photos or using social-media features.
Snap says SPECS could be used in environments such as retail stores, factories and field-service operations, where employees may need information while keeping their hands and attention on a physical task.
Partnerships bring AI and workplace tools to the glasses
Salesforce is integrating its Agentforce platform with SPECS. According to Snap, workers could use the glasses to identify what they are looking at, create service cases, retrieve relevant information and update workflows without switching to another screen.
With AWS, Snap is working to connect SPECS to Amazon's AI assistant for work, allowing employees to make voice queries. A retail worker, for example, could ask where a product is located or how many units are in stock and receive the information in their field of view.
Snap is also working with Nvidia on AI capabilities for the glasses, while software companies including Trifork and Hololight are part of the broader enterprise effort.
A $2,195 bet on AR computing
Snap unveiled SPECS in June and is pricing the glasses at $2,195, with a $200 refundable deposit for preorders. Shipping is expected to begin in the U.S., U.K. and France later this fall.
The company is making a larger bet on AR computing at a time when the sector remains competitive. Meta has established a significant presence in smart glasses, while Apple's Vision Pro has faced challenges reaching broader adoption.
Snap is simultaneously developing the consumer side of SPECS. It has introduced SPECS Intelligence, an AI service designed to work across iPhone, Mac and the glasses, with the system intended to provide information and actions based on a user's goals, routines and connected apps.
Consumers in Los Angeles will be able to try the glasses at Snap's SPECS First Look location beginning October 1.
The enterprise strategy gives Snap another potential market for its AR hardware, particularly among businesses looking for hands-free access to information and software. Whether companies adopt AR glasses at scale will depend on factors including cost, comfort, software integration and the practical value they provide in day-to-day work.
