Snap is testing paid upgrades to popular AR lenses
A handful of AR creators can now sell upgrades to their lenses with Snapchat's in-app currency.
Snap Spectacles 3
81
Engadget Review
The Spectacles 3 is a major improvement over Snap’s previous video-recording glasses. They’re more stylish, fit better and a new second camera enables the device to capture depth information in your pictures and videos. But the device will really only appeal to hardcore Snapchat users who are very interested in AR filters.
The video-recording glasses have grown up, but they still have limited appeal.
Cherlynn LowNovember 12, 2019
Pros
- Stylish design and sturdy build
- Comfortable fit
- Clever and fun 3D filters
- Convenient video capture
Cons
- Expensive
- Must install Snapchat to use
- Not water resistant
- Not meant for use in low light
Snap
Spectacles 3
Engadget
81
Critics
9 reviews69
AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE
Users - Not yet scored
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AVERAGE USER SCORE
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Snap Spectacles 3
- Critic Reviews (9)
- 69AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE9 ReviewsTechCrunch70Pretty, PriceySpectacles 3 are too expensive to be a toy, but don’t excel at being much more. Videography influencers might enjoy having a pair in their tool bag. But it’s hard to imagine anyone not sharing content professionally paying for the gadget.CNET80Snapchat reminds us that AR glasses are meant to be funSpectacles 3 point toward a future of fun, first-person augmented reality experiences. But they don't do enough now to justify the $380 asking price, unless you're a keen Snapchat user with deep pockets. Really deep pockets.Mashable60Snapchat's most advanced glasses feel too much like an experimentSpectacles 3 bring promising new capabilities to Snapchat, but they don't feel like they're quite ready yet.TechRadar70Giving you that 3D feeling at a steep priceThe Snapchat Spectacles 3 open up the realms of what you can do with video and photos shot from a pair of glasses. But they will cost you significantly more and lack a fun design like the one we got with the previous models. If you’re a Snapchat creator, you’ll love them, but they might be a bit too pricey for the rest of us.Input60Snapchat Spectacles 3 review: the third time is not a charmAs they are right now, Spectacles 3 aren’t very useful to the pros and cost too much for an average user. Until Snapchat puts AR directly in the lenses and removes many of the frictions of the experience, Spectacles 3 are a product in search of a digital medium that I don’t think anyone really wants.CNBC70Spectacles 3 ReviewI’m not the sort of creator they’re targeting, and I wouldn’t spend $380 for a pair of sunglasses, even if they can record AR. But I get Snapchat’s idea, and I will be interested in future products that start to show augmented reality when I look through the glasses. That may be a few years away, but I like where it’s heading.The Verge70Reaching New DepthsTaken together, the advancements in Spectacles 3 represent a meaningful improvement over what came before it — without quite making a complete case for themselves as an essential creative tool. There’s a good amount of novelty in the product, but I fear that, as with the previous two generations, that novelty will fade quickly.Business Insider70Spectacles 3 ReviewEveryone at Snapchat, from Spectacles' design lead to Snapchat's CEO, are telling people that we're still years away from widely adopted AR hardware. There's no reason then to rush to get a pair of Spectacles 3, and you may as well wait to see what Snapchat's next — and hopefully less pricey — next step is.Buzzfeed70I'm Not Cool Enough To Wear Snapchat's New SpectaclesSnapchat’s pro examples obviously look way better than mine. Again, this is a device that’s seemingly ideal for influencers, professional creatives, and the like. I could absolutely see a fashion blogger sharing 3D #outfitoftheday pics on Instagram. Normals/non-creatives, like me, will find the new Spectacles’ 3D wizardry less compelling.
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