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Key Takeaways Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is making a major bet on smart glasses.
He is preparing to launch $2,195 smart glasses on September 16 to test if consumers will embrace the product and its price point.
Online reactions to Spiegel wearing the glasses on CNBC were harsh, with some commenters criticizing their appearance.
Snap is preparing to introduce a pair of $2,195 smart glasses on September 16. CEO Evan Spiegel poured years and significant resources into the glasses, which he is eager to introduce, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.
Ahead of the company’s fall product launch, Spiegel appeared on CNBC in June. Sources told the Journal that at least one colleague urged him not to wear the glasses for the entire interview, suggesting he talk about the product rather than wear it on camera throughout the segment. Despite receiving this advice, Spiegel chose to wear the glasses for the whole interview anyway.
The reaction online was swift. Social media users called the glasses “laughably ugly” and compared them to “3D glasses at an IMAX theater.” “Are we being punked?” one poster asked, per the Journal.
Spiegel has championed the project for years. The Journal reported that Spiegel’s focus on smart glasses has frustrated employees and investors at times, especially as Snap’s share price has struggled.
His commitment has prompted questions inside the company. According to the Journal, some leaders have raised concerns about how much time Spiegel is devoting to the glasses compared to Snapchat, the company’s core revenue-driver.
Still, Spiegel views the device as a long-term wager on how AI could reshape people’s relationship with technology. Additionally, some analysts see the smart glasses as a possible long-term way for Snap to reduce its reliance on its flagship app.
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