FCC publishes filing from Snap that appears to show second generation Spectacles with 802.11ac WiFi support and more; report said Snap was planning Q3 debut
Snapchat's corporate parent Snap Inc. may be getting ready to release a new version of its Spectacles wearable device soon …
Context & Ripple Effects
Snap's Spectacles line has been the subject of steady sourcing all spring: Cheddar reported in early March that a second generation focused on performance would ship in Q3, with a third generation planned for 2019 adding two cameras for depth-effect video. The FCC filing published today is the first hard evidence that hardware exists outside sourcing claims — regulatory certification typically precedes a commercial launch by weeks.
The filing matters because it converts rumor into a checkable artifact: 802.11ac WiFi support lines up with the reported emphasis on faster photo and video transfer, and it puts Snap on a certification clock that constrains when the device can actually reach shelves.
First-order effects
- Snap now has a certified second-generation Spectacles design on file with the FCC, confirming the Q3 performance-focused refresh is real hardware rather than sourcing talk.
Second-order effects
- Certification locks in a launch window, which forces Snap to finalize pricing and positioning against the original Spectacles — a decision the later two-camera, aluminum-frame plans show the company iterating on through 2018.
Third-order effects
- If the pattern holds, each Spectacles generation functions as a paid learning platform: the consumer camera glasses of 2018 prefigure the developer- and creator-focused AR glasses Snap was still building toward years later, per its AR-glasses program.
The trend: Smart glasses are advancing through iterative consumer hardware cycles, with each generation's radio and camera specs signaling the next step toward AR-first devices.