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Snapchat has made quite a name for itself in the world of filter photo and video sharing. However, rumors are now circulating that the social media app company could be making a play in the hardware business. Reports of stealthy recruitments of hardware engineers are currently circulating, which is being taken as a hint that the popular service is thinking about making an actual gadget.
According to CNET, Snapchat has already gathered several experts in making wearable devices as well as veterans who worked at Nokia and Logitech. At $16 billion, the company’s value certainly allows it to bring in as many professionals as it wants, but this collection of specialists does paint the picture of hardware goals along the lines of a smartphone, a smartwatch, or AR/VR glasses.
What’s even more telling, is the fact that Snapchat has never created any physical product since its launch. So the presence of hardware engineers and former employees of giant tech companies could only mean that Snapchat is really planning to release some kind of device related to its service.
Of the possible consumer hardware that the social media company could potentially produce, however, analysts predict that the most likely would have to be the augmented reality or virtual reality glasses. Snapchat’s filters are already a form of AR technology by superimposing digital animation on a real face. AR glasses wouldn’t be too far from reality.
BGR thinks that it would be a stupid idea, though, on the argument that Snapchat’s AR technology is not exactly useful. When Google released the “Google Glass,” which was widely panned and mocked, the device had features that could almost be considered a sci-fi idea come to life. It’s just too bad that people thought it looked stupid.
Snapchat could face similar problems and then some. After all, once the users got tired of seeing augmented face paints or animated masks on other people’s faces, what use would the device have then?
