Snapchat has unveiled the third generation of its camera-enabled Spectacles, which allow users to capture images and video to post to the social media site.
The new Spectacles 3, costing US$380 (about R5 800 before duties and taxes), will go on sale in the spring, Snapchat said.
The camera platform said the new Spectacles will wirelessly sync images and video gathered from the glasses to a user’s phone, where a range of 3D effects in the Snapchat app will allow users to enhance their uploads.
Spectacles, the company’s first hardware product, launched in 2016 but has had a mixed history as a consumer product.
Snapchat admitted in late 2017 that it had written off around $40-million in relation to unsold stock of first-generation Spectacles. Since then, the glasses have been redesigned and made water-resistant.
The new Spectacles 3 include two HD cameras which will enable depth to be captured in images. They will also come with a charging case which can hold up to four charges, the firm said.
Snapchat also confirmed that the new Spectacles will be a “limited edition product”, with far fewer being made than the first-generation glasses.
According to the company’s own figures, 203 million people open the Snapchat camera each day, and share 3.5 billion Snaps every day.
