Until now, Snapchat consisted of only one app to allow users to communicate with their friends by sending a pictures or videos, but their new product may change the game.
Snapchat, originally called Picaboo, was released in July 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Reggie Brown and Bobby Murphy. However, in August 2011, Spiegel and Brown had a falling out over equity splits causing Spiegel and Murphy to boot Brown from the company. The situation led the two to rename the app to Snapchat. By April of 2012, the app had over 100,000 users.
Today, Snapchat has 150 million daily users, surpassing Twitter’s 140 million users. Snapchat has now released a completely new invention, a new type of camera called Spectacles. Spectacles, sunglasses with an integrated video, make it easy to create Memories, pictures you save from the Snapchat camera.
On Sept. 24, Snapchat changed their name to Snap Inc. because they now have released more than one product and would like all aspects of their company to be covered under one name. The alteration also allows consumers to search the name Snapchat or Spectacles on Google without seeing the financial analysis or company information. Instead, when searching the two names, news, updates, stories and links to the app store pop up for entertainment purposes.
Spectacles has consumers concerned with the price, look and similarity to Google Glass. Spectacles will have one major difference compared to Google Glass — the price. Unlike Google Glass costing around $1500 per pair, Spectacles run for $130 per pair. A wide variety of consumers agreed Spectacles prove to be more “fashionable” than Glass. Spectacles come in three colors: coral, teal and black. Lastly, Spectacles allow those in your surroundings to know when you are recording, whereas Google Glass does not.
When Spectacles need to be charged, users place the glasses inside of their case whenever they are low on battery — no cables needed. This makes them not only convenient to charge, but they double as a case for your glasses too.
