Spectacles 3 is Snapchat’s stylish $380 augmented reality sunglasses

Now that its financials and user numbers are looking much better, Snapchat’s owner is doing this Spectacles thing all over again.

Spectacles 3 is Snap’s latest go at hardware, which is now a sort of augmented reality system. While the first two devices allowed users to take photos or short videos to post to Snapchat, these let users experiment with 3D.

There are now two cameras on either temple of the device. This allows them to capture depth like human eyes. The results are pretty cool.

Snap’s marketing clips show virtual confetti falling from the sky in one, and a stingray swimming through the air in another. Spectacles 3 will likely work incredibly well with Snapchat’s AR filters then.

“Snaps captured using Spectacles 3 seamlessly transfer in HD to Memories within Snapchat to add new lighting, landscapes, and other magical effects to an entire scene with a swipe,” Snap adds in a press release.

“Snaps can also export to Camera Roll as circular, horizontal, square and virtual reality formats for saving, editing, sharing, and reliving, anywhere.”

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Introducing Spectacles 3. Capture your world, the way you see it — with two cameras in three dimensions. From the creators of Snapchat. Learn more at the link in our bio. #SnapchatSpectacles

A post shared by Snapchat Spectacles (@spectacles) on Aug 13, 2019 at 5:01am PDT

Video length has been bumped up to 60 seconds rather than ten too, and audio is recorded using four microphones. LEDs also light up to “notify” people when users are recording video.

Spectacles 3 also charges in its included carrying case up to four times. Both also charge using USB-C.

While this all sounds brilliant, it’s worth noting that Spectacles 3 costs nearly double that of Spectacles 2. The latter wasn’t exactly the financial breakthrough that Snap intended either. That said, Snap has said that these are limited-edition wearables, and they do exude a degree of style akin to more premium eyeware.

The device is now available to preorder now for $380, but will ship in Spring (in the southern hemisphere).

Feature image Snap Inc