Companies and Brands

Are Snapchat Spectacles Like Google Glass?

Wikimedia Commons

Google Glass was one of the search division of Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) greatest failures. Yet, company after company tries to arm wrestle its way into portable devices in which movable cameras capture video. Google Glass was more than that with its smartphone features, but video was at the heart of the product. Snapchat has decided that its first hardware business should be portable video capture as well, via a product it calls Spectacles.

A Snapchat official told Bloomberg that the price for the product would be $129.99, and:

Spectacles will come in one size and three colors. The wearer can tap a button near the hinge to record video of up to 10 seconds using the wide-angle lens on the glasses.

Snapchat also posted a video of the product on YouTube.

Snapchat is entering a market that other companies know intimately. The video in motion camera is GoPro Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GRPO) only major business. It offers drones with cameras, and attachments that make some of its products head-mounted cameras — not glasses, but almost.

And other large companies are in the business too, though not as visibly. Huge South Korean electronics company LG makes similar products. So does China’s Xiaomi.

Finally, there is the mobile video capture product almost everyone has, one of the tens of millions of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhones.

Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)

Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.

Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.

Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future

Get started right here.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.