Snap targets enterprises with Salesforce, Nvidia AI tools for its augmented-reality glasses
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The smart glasses industry is currently dominated by Meta.
PHOTO: REUTERS
American tech company Snap on Sept 16 announced partnerships with companies, including Salesforce, Nvidia and Amazon Web Services, to integrate workplace tools into its Specs augmented-reality (AR) glasses, courting enterprise demand to carve a foothold in the heavily contested market.
Unveiled in June with a hefty price tag of US$2,195 (S$2,800), Specs is a major bet by the social media company led by chief executive Evan Spiegel in a category drawing increasing investments and consumer interest and dominated by Big Tech rival Meta.
Apple, however, has seen mixed results in making its Vision Pro headset a mainstream success, underlining the challenges facing the AI-powered gadgets segment.
To drive sales in a tough market, Snap is positioning its AR glasses as a workplace device for businesses seeking hands-free computing solutions in environments traditionally disconnected from desktops, such as factory floors, retail outlets and field service operations.
Snap said enterprise software maker Salesforce would add its AI agent platform Agentforce into Specs, allowing workers to access company data and automate tasks through the glasses.
Nvidia will power the artificial intelligence, enabling Specs to interpret a worker’s visual environment and retrieve relevant company data, while Amazon Web Services will offer its AI assistant, allowing employees to use voice commands for tasks such as checking product availability.
Snap did not disclose the financial terms of the partnerships, which include those with software company Trifork and AR software firm Hololight.
Specs’ charging case, sold separately, will have cellular connectivity through its telecom partners, including Verizon in the US, Orange in France and BT Group’s EE in Britain.
Snap, which also announced Specs Intelligence AI service on Sept 16, has previously said shipping for the glasses is expected to begin later in 2026 in the US, Britain and France.
Starting in October, consumers can try Specs at the Westfield Century City shopping mall in Los Angeles, Snap said. REUTERS