Snapchat, the social media app famous for its disappearing selfies and augmented reality features that allow users to overlay different GIFs on their photos or mini-video clips, has recently hired several experts in the field of wearable technology, causing speculations that the company might be planning to create smart glasses.
Based on the lineup of freshly hired team members, not only is the Los Angeles-based company trying to enter the tech hardware industry, but it also seems to be hoping to create smart glasses that are normal-looking and something that people would actually wear on a regular basis.
Some of the hired personalities include Mark Dixon, who was part of the team behind Microsoft's HoloLens headset; Eitan Pilipski, who previously worked at Qualcomm for a project called Vuforia, which is an Augmented Reality software platform for phones and smart glasses; and Lauryn Morris, a famous eyewear maker who was involved with Innovega - creator of the iOptik mixed-reality glasses - as well as someone who has designed frames for big names like Michael Kors and Zac Posen.
"If they are actually investing in new tech, that could be great," said a virtual reality entrepreneur who requested to remain anonymous. "They probably know that most apps in their situation have a limited lifespan and monetization potential."
Some are surprised by the move, especially considering that the brand has not gotten involved in hardware before, and the only thing it got to producing, aside from software, are beach towels and pillows.
However, some see the move as somewhat similar to the track that another social media network is taking - Facebook. This social media giant has invested in virtual reality since its purchase of Oculus in 2014 and has been showcasing progress in that realm in the recent months. Additionally, since Snapchat has also increased its value over the years, which is now pegged at $16 billion, the branching out is but to be expected.
In fact, in 2014, while the company did not make it known to the public, Snapchat also purchased a startup called Vergence Labs, which was a company that focused on creating eyewear similar to Google Glass, a sign that the social media company has been planning this path for a long time now.
Presented with these trends, it has become more convincing that Snapchat indeed has something planned up its sleeves. What remains to be known is whether the company is going to create an eyewear to co-exist with its current chatting platform or create a totally separate gadget that consumers can use in their daily lives.
