Snapchat Debuts Spectacles Online, Retails For USD130; HD Video Download Available For Android Users

Spectacles, the video-recording sunglasses by Snapchat, recently debuted online on Spectacles.com. The glasses currently retails for USD129.99 a pair in the US. Techcrunch notes Spectacles were only sold via special Snapbot dispensers in its New York pop store and certain surprise locations in the US in the last three months. They’re all closed now, and that Spectacles sales, including the USD49.99 charging cases and USD9.99 charging cords, are all being done via Snap, the company behind the social media app and the sunglasses.

A spokesperson for Snap, explained the reason for its limited release. The spokesperson said, “As Evan [Spiegel, co-founder] shared in his interview with the WSJ, when we launched, the idea was : ‘We’re going to take a slow approach to rolling them out,’ says Spiegel. ‘It’s about us figuring out if it fits into people’s lives and seeing how they like it.’ Response has been positive since November’s launch so we’re now happy to be able to make Spectacles more readily available — especially for those in the US who have not been able to make it to a Snapbot.”

BGR described Spectacles has a built-in camera that can record 10-second video clips, which then would be added wirelessly to the app. However, CNET notes that you can shorten or lengthen video recording time by simply pressing and holding the button long or short enough. If you wish to record a video in HD, Snapchat imports videos in HD by default, whereas iPhone users need to do a couple of steps to set it up on the app.

Spectacles comes in a range of colors, which include black, teal, and coral. Delivery will be 2-4 weeks after the online order.