A Dive into AR/VR Glasses: From Spectacles to Vision Pro
This week, while browsing through X, a new device caught my eye: developers were building fun little games for Snap Spectacles, a set of AR glasses by SnapAR (SnapChat). Snap offers early access to the frontiers of AR through their developer platform for $99 per month, inviting experimentation and innovation.
I’ve been fortunate to have some hands-on experience with AR glasses during my studies, and just last month, I made my first call with someone through their Apple vision pro. It was surreal—it felt like stepping into the future. Suddenly, you’re interacting in “the real world,” breaking free from the limits of phone or computer screens. These devices open up entirely new forms of creativity and workflows, bringing ideas to life in ways we could only imagine before.
I put a laser gun on my bike with Spectacles 😎 pic.twitter.com/2XlU5NfDGW
— kevando (@kevando_) September 25, 2024
AR/VR devices and smart glasses span a range of functionality and design. They are evolving rapidly, moving closer to shared interactions and away from bulky headsets that isolate you from your surroundings.
On one end of this spectrum are fully immersive VR devices, like the Meta Quest and HTC Vive, designed for gaming and simulation, requiring a complete dive into immersive virtual spaces. On the other end, we find sleek and lightweight options like Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, which don’t include visual overlays but provide voice controls, speaker-based information, and camera functionality for everyday convenience.
On one end of this spectrum are fully immersive VR devices, like the Meta Quest and HTC Vive, designed for gaming and simulation, requiring a complete dive into immersive virtual spaces. On the other end, we find sleek and lightweight options like Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, which don’t include visual overlays but provide voice controls, speaker-based information, and camera functionality for everyday convenience.
One interesting aspect of these devices is how pricing reflects their target audience and capabilities. For example, the Apple Vision Pro sits at the high end with a $3,500 price tag, targeting professionals and early adopters. In contrast, developer-focused options like Snap Spectacles use a subscription model of $99 per month, making it more accessible for creators experimenting with AR. Mid-tier devices such as the Xreal Air ($379) and Rokid Max ($439) are offered to casual users, with a balance of functionality and affordability. Enterprise-focused devices like the Microsoft HoloLens 2 ($3,500) or Magic Leap 2 ($3,299) are priced for industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and design, where the investment aligns with their professional utility.
The reality is that no device on this range has fully captured the mainstream consumer market yet. The technology is still in a development and exploration phase, with an estimated 200–300 companies globally working on AR/VR innovations. These efforts are bringing more functionality into lighter, smaller, and more accessible devices.
For developers and researchers, it’s an exciting time. Devices like Meta Orion, though still in prototype, offer access for those keen to explore holographic displays and neural interfaces. Similarly, Snap Spectacles 2024 open doors to experiment with lightweight AR, perfect for creating interactive games or unique augmented experiences.
