Reportedly, 8,976 photos are shared on Snapchat every second. It's a social network especially popular with younger users, and is famed for it's disappearing photos and 'Stories' feature, which allows users to collate a selection of photos and videos throughout their day, but they each last for just 24 hours before disappearing.
But now the company behind Snapchat (formerly called 'Snapchat, Inc.') is now called 'Snap, Inc' instead, preferring to describe itself as a camera company on it's new website, snap.com.
Along with this rebrand comes the company's first venture into hardware.
Meet Spectacles.
What are Spectacles?
The device is a pair of sunglasses that, when released later this year, will cost $129.99 (around £100). Embedded in the sunglasses is a camera that has the ability to shoot 10 second, 115 degree angle videos from a first person perspective. Reportedly the glasses will give you the option to continue shooting for up to 30 seconds, before importing the final video into your Snapchat Memories, where they can be saved, or sent/posted just like other content found in your Memories.
Upon release, they'll only be available on a limited basis. They'll come in one size, but have three colour options; black, teal and coral. The sunglasses will also reportedly have a light in them as well that alerts people around the wearer that they are recording.
[video:https://youtu.be/XqkOFLBSJR8]One question people may have though is…
Why?
Snapchat has become a huge platform for sharing video, and is a huge platform for young people to share their lives through photos and videos too. These sunglasses are the company's initial approach to wearable tech, which is becoming increasingly common in it's many forms such as smartwatches (Apple Watch, anyone?) and even Google Glass, which many will remember as Google's $1,500 wearable glasses that made it into the hands of developers but not too much further, though the Google Glass webpage does insist "the journey doesn't end here."
Many have already compared Snapchat's new glasses to Google Glass, though Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, said: “It’s about us figuring out if it fits into people’s lives and seeing how they like it."
Perhaps the 'why?' is for you as the user to figure out and use them how you find best.
What we do know is that Spectacles, when they are released, will give people the ability to use Snapchat hands-free. The glasses record in a circular format, but one that plays in full screen on other devices, like your phone. They come with a case that will charge the glasses automatically when they're placed inside, but one charge will last around a day, according to Mashable.
Do these Spectacles interest you? Will you buy a pair when they become available? Let us know in the comments below!
