Snap Partners With Qualcomm for New Spectacles AR Glasses

Snap is accelerating plans for its next generation of Spectacles, cementing a multi-year strategic partnership with chipmaker Qualcomm. The collaboration aims to integrate Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR platforms into the upcoming wearable devices, signaling a significant push to bring the long-gestating project back to the consumer market.

The deal focuses on leveraging Qualcomm’s specialized systems-on-a-chip to enable advanced augmented reality (AR) capabilities. According to the companies, the joint development efforts will prioritize several core technical pillars for the new hardware:

• On-device AI: Processing intelligence locally on the glasses to reduce latency.
• Cutting-edge graphics: Enhancing the visual fidelity of AR overlays.
• Multiuser digital experiences: Expanding the social functionality of the platform.

“Our work with Qualcomm provides a strong foundation for the future of Specs, bringing developers and consumers advanced technology and performance that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.

A Long Road for Spectacles

The development of Spectacles has spanned over a decade, marked by various iterations. While the last consumer-facing model reached the public in 2019, the company shifted its strategy in 2024, restricting the hardware to developers. This period of limited access allowed Snap to refine its software ecosystem and test new applications before a broader rollout.

The project has seen internal volatility along the way. Earlier this year, Snap spun off a dedicated subsidiary specifically for its AR glasses business. This organizational change followed the high-profile departure of Scott Myers, the former SVP of Specs, who left the company in February after internal friction with Spiegel.

With this new partnership, Snap is positioning its wearable technology to compete more aggressively in the evolving AR market as the company prepares for a release later this year.