Sources: Snap Inc. is exploring acquisitions of startups building drones, wearable cameras, and AR/VR applications to further its mission as a camera company
Biz Carson / Business Insider : Thanks: @lexnfx
Context & Ripple Effects
In late 2016 Snap was still defining itself post-rebrand as a camera company rather than a social app, and this report shows the strategy being pursued through M&A: drones, wearable cameras, and AR/VR startups were all on its shopping list. The coverage that followed suggests the exploration was real — by early 2017 Snap had confirmed internal drone work, though with no clear consumer timeline.
First-order effects
- Early-stage drone, camera hardware, and AR/VR startups gain a well-funded strategic buyer whose stated mission makes them a natural fit, likely tightening valuations in those niches.
Second-order effects
- The shopping list translated into deals: Snap's acquisition of Ctrl Me Robotics for under $1M showed it would buy small teams cheaply rather than pay platform premiums, and talks for Zero Zero Robotics' self-flying Hover Camera signaled interest in proven consumer products too.
Third-order effects
- If the pattern holds, Snap's camera mission pulls it from software into vertically integrated hardware — a path the later plan for AR-focused Spectacles and a years-long drone project confirms was structural, not exploratory.
The trend: Social platforms are buying their way into hardware capabilities, with Snap's drone and AR acquisitions marking an early instance of app companies becoming device makers.