Recently, I was browsing through the headlines on Google News when an article from The Verge caught my eye in the technology section. The headline read "Snapchat Spectacles Are Here and They Are Ridiculously Fun." As someone who uses Snapchat on a daily basis, of course I was intrigued.
To quickly summarize the article, yellow vending machines popped up around Snap, Inc. headquarters in Venice, California selling these new Spectacles. They aren't absolutely horrendous looking, come in three color options and record up to 10 seconds of video with a simple press of a button that can then be sent to your phone via bluetooth. To be completely honest, at first I thought it was a complete hoax. I mean, Snapchat is huge and one would think that there would be media buzz surrounding its release. Apparently not. Upon further research, I found that Spectacles released their premiere video about two months ago on September 23. So why is this popping up in my newsfeed now, almost two months later? Perhaps it has been there the entire time and I've just been completely oblivious.
I think that the larger problem with Snapchat Spectacles is its marketability. Yeah the glasses are cool, but they aren't needed. There was no public demand for them prior to their release. Additionally, they aren't widely available for purchase and their website offers little to no information on the new product.
While Spectacles may seem like an epic fail, I think that the concept of hands-free video recording is something that is going to be completely revolutionary. Yes, wearable video recording devices is not a new concept. Neither is remotely streaming video via bluetooth. However, I think that the concept of taking those two elements and combining it into something completely functional and stylish will change the face of video recording; especially live-streaming.
Currently, one of the most popular wearable cameras is the GoPro. While GoPro's capture high resolution footage and is extremely durable and portable, its not possible to wear it hands-free without a form of bulky and/or noticeable harnessing or head mount. I don't know about you, but I would rather not walk around all day with a GoPro strapped to my forehead. Glasses like Spectacles would allow users to record anywhere, anytime without being too noticeable.
Before personal live-streaming, the only way to watch an event was to watch it after the event had already happened when it was uploaded to the internet. Now anyone can live-stream with apps such as Periscope. However, with most live-stream apps, you must connect a camera or a phone that captures video and audio. However, with glasses like Spectacles, users could live-stream an entire concert, protest or event completely hands free. Personally, I would rather walk around with a pair of shades on my face instead of having to walk around with my phone in the air trying to capture the moment.
Maybe Spectacles won't last, but hopefully the idea of hand-free, live-streaming is an idea that is developed further. Would you try Snapchat's newest product? I would...if it were free!
