Snap tries to make the case again for its $2,200 smart glasses

Snap, the social media giant, is back with a renewed push for its $2,200 smart glasses, Specs. After an unimpressive debut and a subsequent stock decline, the company has unveiled several new features and partnerships aimed at making Specs more useful. At an event in Los Angeles, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel presented a variety of updates designed to integrate the glasses into everyday activities and provide a clearer purpose for the expensive hardware.

The new features include integration with popular streaming services like HBO Max and Spotify, as well as the launch of Specs Intelligence, an "anticipatory AI" system that builds an understanding of users' goals, priorities, relationships, and routines from the apps and tools they connect. This system, described as an "AI native operating system with intelligence designed around your projects," aims to help users focus on what matters now while making progress towards long-term goals.

However, many of the announced features seem more suited for IT technicians, such as mobile device management, security controls, and partnerships with tech companies like Amazon, Salesforce, and Nvidia.

One particularly odd feature is a basketball practice app developed in partnership with the NBA and WNBA, which seems unlikely to appeal to the average consumer. Additionally, Snap announced a new connectivity package for users who want to use Specs outside of Wi-Fi ranges, offering a cellular-enabled charging case for $10 a month for Verizon customers and $20 a month for non-Verizon users.

CEO Spiegel framed Specs as a more human-centric form of computing, emphasizing that the device should make people more important, not less relevant. Snap plans to host a Specs pop-up in Los Angeles before the devices are shipped later this fall.