General
Snapchat Spectacles, commonly known as Spectacles, are wearable sunglasses created by Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat. These stylish sunglasses feature an integrated camera that enables users to record short videos and take photos effortlessly, capturing their experiences from a first-person point of view. Designed to seamlessly integrate with the Snapchat app, Spectacles offer a novel way for Snapchat users to enhance their content creation and storytelling abilities.
Background
Snap Inc. introduced the first iteration of Snapchat Spectacles in 2016, aiming to extend the Snapchat experience beyond smartphones. The initial release featured sunglasses with an embedded camera, capable of recording videos up to 10 seconds in length. The recorded videos would then be wirelessly transferred to the user's Snapchat app for easy sharing with friends and followers.
The introduction of Spectacles marked Snap Inc.'s venture into the hardware market, expanding their presence from a software-driven social media platform to a company with hardware offerings. The move aimed to provide Snapchat users with a more immersive and hands-free way to capture and share their everyday moments.
To create a seamless user experience, Spectacles were designed to resemble regular sunglasses, incorporating a camera discreetly into the frame. They were available in various colors and styles, catering to different preferences and fashion trends. The glasses also featured a circular LED indicator, alerting others when the user was recording.
Snap Inc. initially released Spectacles through limited pop-up vending machines called "Snapbots," creating a sense of exclusivity and generating significant buzz around the product. These Snapbots, which resembled large, yellow vending machines, appeared in various locations worldwide, allowing users to purchase Spectacles on the spot. The innovative marketing strategy garnered attention and enthusiasm, resulting in high demand for the product.
While the initial launch generated considerable excitement, subsequent iterations of Spectacles faced challenges. Snap Inc. struggled with inventory management and faced a decline in sales, resulting in significant write-downs and inventory surpluses. The company learned valuable lessons from these setbacks and subsequently refined their approach to product development and distribution.
In later versions of Spectacles, Snap Inc. incorporated improvements based on user feedback and market trends. These enhancements included enhanced video quality, water resistance, faster transfer speeds and augmented reality capability.