Whenever I think of wearable technology, I think of the scene from the movie Role Models where Paul Rudd’s character (Danny) asks Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s character (Augie): “Do you like Coca Cola?”
Augie replies: “I like the idea of it more than I actually like it”.
But, that’s just my opinion. Wearable technology is a major trend that is here to stay. Everyday you see more and more people start to sport iWatches or the latest Fitbits on their wrist. In fact, according to an article written in Forbes Tim Cook had this to say after the release of the latest Apple Watch 3 series:
“It was our best quarter ever for the Apple Watch, with over 50% growth in revenue and units for the fourth quarter in a row and strong double-digit growth in every geographic segment.”
This leads us to ask the question: What’s next?
How about glasses?
I know what you’re thinking “Hey Matt, they already tried that with the Snapchat Spectacles and they sucked!”
Correct.
The first Snapchat Spectacles were a total flop. According to TechCrunch, only 0.08% of Snapchat user bought the “stylish” camera sunglasses. Internal data from Snapchat reported that 50% of the people who actually did buy them stopped using the product after a month. Whether the cause of this horrendous failure was due to the glasses limited functionality or its bulky appearance is up to you.
Personally, I thought the biggest flaw with the Spectacles was that I couldn’t purchase them as soon as they came out. They had pop-up vending machines littered across the country that dispensed these glasses to people waiting in a very long line. In an age where I can have pretty much anything brought to me overnight, right to my doorstep, I found myself asking “You want me to go where? And wait in a line for how long?”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQgEPOkACFX/?taken-by=chatterblast
Everybody likes a comeback
Regardless of my concerns, Snapchat recently doubled down and decided to take another crack at the glasses by releasing Spectacles 2. These new and improved glasses are less bulky and have a bunch of new features including:
- HD videos and photos
- Water resistance
- Polarized lenses
- Multiple export formats
- New color options
Along with the new features, you can clearly see from the pictures above that they made some major improvements on the overall design of the glasses. This was a must considering the originals looked like they belonged in a costume box in your parents basement. With the new design, I could actually see myself wearing these without people even knowing that they’re Snapchat Spectacles.
Are they worth it?
If you’re a big adventurous Snapchat user that loves the GoPro view without the GoPro, then yes. These are probably worth it. They allow for unique, high quality videos, and pictures with the push of a button.
For the average snapchat user, I don’t think the $200 asking price is really worth it. The reason being, I just don’t think people will ever find themselves using it that often. And that’s really what I believe all wearable technology comes down to, “How often am I seriously going to use this?”
Again, I like the idea of it more than I actually like it.
P.S.
If these do end up being a success, we shouldn’t be surprised if Instagram answers in a big way.
