Snap's new Spectacles let you see the world in AR

Spectacles might finally reach their potential with the help of Snap's augmented reality tech.

In a "one more thing" moment at the Snap Partner Summit on Thursday, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel debuted the fourth generation of the company's smart glasses. Spectacles will allow the wearer to view the world through AR lenses — without the need to use a smartphone.

Futuristic product, retro vibes. Credit: screenshot: Snap

With touch and voice control, you can cycle through a lens carousel and choose how to see the world. The glasses will even suggest lenses based on your location or what you're looking at. And you can send a ten second video of what you're seeing on Snapchat with your voice.

What the lens carousel looks like through the Spectacles. Credit:

Spiegel unveiled the futuristic tech on an appropriately trippy VR stage. A transparent human figure wearing the glasses walked up to Spiegel and handed him the glasses.

Then Spiegel demonstrated what the field of view looks like, and how quickly the AR responds to changes in the environment. When Spiegel stuck his hand out in a field, a butterfly landed on it. D'aw.

Snap has given seven creators access to to the glasses, and other creators can apply to get their hands on the specs, and start experimenting, at the Spectacles website.