After reviewing Snap Inc.’s Spectacles, we decided to take a look back on its predecessor, Google Glass, and try to find out why it didn’t work. Sure, it was touted as a “revolutionary” product when it was released in 2013, but before truly even getting off the ground, the project was canceled altogether. Remember those “”Stop the Cyborgs anti-Google Glass campaigns?
Snapchat and other platforms like Instagram and Periscope has made taking pictures and recording live videos a norm so when Spectacles was released last month, it quickly became a spectacle (pun intended). Snap put a lot of thought into making Spectacles and in a nutshell, they are the complete opposite of a product like Google Glass.
Below we compare the two devices and give you reasons why Spectacles is a better product than Google Glass.
1. Price
Yes, Google Glass had way more features like receiving text messages, notifications, connecting to the internet, etc. it cost $1,500. That price right there alienated a lot of people. Sure, people still bought it but the price point didn’t appeal to the general public. At $129, the price is low enough where the average consumer can purchase a pair of Spectacles. This price point
2. Definitive Purpose
With Glass, some people didn’t know what it was meant for. Was it for hardcore tech geeks? Was it for businessmen and women that wanted something to help make their busy lives a bit easier? I wanted Google Glass at the time and I didn’t even know what it was meant for. With Spectacles, users know that it records 10 seconds videos and then you post it to their Snapchat accounts. That’s it.
3. Design
Spectacles aren’t as “loud” and obvious as Glass so when you’re wearing a pair, you won’t stick out as a sore thumb as they are not marketing towards the tech crowd. Even though the style is a bit weird for me, I can still wear them normally as I would with my Ray-Bans Wayfarers without getting weird looks by random people. Spectacles come in three different colors (black, teal, and coral) and I am sure they will release different styles for future iterations.
4. Privacy
When you record a Snap with Spectacles, a spinning light will illuminate on the front of the glasses to let others nearby know you are recording a video. With Google Glass, there is no indication for others to know when a video is being recorded. This presented a huge privacy issue for people around someone wearing a pair of Google Glass.