Snap's latest announcement signals a leap forward in AR glasses, with Snap OS 2 shaping up as the software backbone for consumer Spectacles. This is not an incremental update. It lays the groundwork for what could be the most accessible AR experience yet. With consumer versions planned for 2026 and a promise to cost less than Apple's Vision Pro, Snap is aiming straight at mainstream adoption.
Where does AR go from here?
Snap OS 2 is more than an update, it is a preview of the next chapter of computing. With consumer Spectacles arriving in 2026 and pricing aimed below Vision Pro, we are nearing the point where glasses shift from curiosity to necessity.
Competition will be fierce. Meta has AR glasses, called Artemis, on the roadmap for 2027. Apple is iterating on Vision Pro. Google has a $150 million partnership with Warby Parker for smart glasses after 2025. Snap's edge is a decade of shipping lenses and filters to everyday users, a muscle memory for what people actually enjoy.
That user-first muscle could be the difference between a drawer gadget and a daily essential. Snap has iterated on AR interaction longer than most, and it shows.
The hurdles are still real. Battery life limits mean we are probably two hardware generations away from all-day wear. The form factor needs to get slimmer to pass the social test. The content ecosystem must grow, thousands of practical apps, before the pitch becomes irresistible.
Even so, Snap OS 2 points in the right direction. From seamless content consumption to reliable travel support, Snap is positioning itself as the platform that could make AR glasses as common as smartphones. The company that began with disappearing photos and dog filters now feels poised to soften the line between digital and physical, maybe to erase it.
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