The new Spectacles feature a lightweight, waterproof frame
Snapchat has launched a “new and improved” version of its Spectacles in a second-time lucky bid following the failure of the first generation of smart sunglasses.
The revamped sunglasses have a new “lightweight” frame fitted with a pair of small cameras that can take photos as well as recording ten-second bursts of video, The Independent reports.
Users press and hold a small button on the left-hand side of the frame to take a still image, while tapping the button records a short video clip, the news site says. A pair of light “circles” around the camera illuminate when the camera is in use, to let subjects know they are being recorded, so there can be “no covert filming”.
The dual cameras have also been improved, says Alphr, with video resolution bumped from 1088x1088 on the first-generation model to 1216x1216, while still images come out at 1642x1642.
The Spectacles are now water-resistent and feature a new stereo mic system offering “post-processing” to remove unwanted noise from video recordings, The Guardian reports.
Snapchat hopes the improvements will convince comsumers that the smart sunglasses are more than just a “clumsy novelty”, says TechCrunch.
Only 220,000 examples of the first-generation model - which launched in September 2016 and was discontinued a year later - were sold, owing to their “limited functionality” and “goofy” designs, the tech news site adds.
The new Snapchat Spectacles hit shops today and cost £149.99 - £30 more than the old model, says TechRadar.
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