Snapchat and its secret AR project

Is it possible that Snapchat, the social media dedicated to ephemeral contents, is working on the project of a new pair of smart glasses based on augmented reality?

Listening to rumors, the answer could be yes. In fact, lately, there has been a slow but constant hiring of experts in the field from the 100 millions monthly users’ social media.

The news is reported from the site CNET through a report showing how, in time, Snapchat inserted in its staff names as: Mark Dixon, former member of Microsoft HoloLens and Xbox staff; Eitan Pilipski, previously working on Qualcomm’s Vuforia project for an augmented reality platform for mobile; Lauryn Morris, eyewear designer who worked for many brands, among which Innovega, company creator of iOptik, glasses based on mixed-reality.
Especially this last name suggests the project of a weareble device: CNET, about this, says that “perhaps the best evidence for smart glasses is that Snapchat has an eyewear designer on its team. Lauryn Morris created frames for Michael Kors, Innovega and Zac Posen”.
If these names aren’t enough, we can just go back to 2014, when the social media company acquired the startup Vengence Labs, producer of smart glasses that are able to record footage of what a wearer sees.

This is not the first time that the social app approaches to augmented reality: last year it surprised everyone adding “Lenses”, a range of augmented filters that can be added to selfies. Imagine if these effects could be applied directly in front of your eyes thanks to a pair of smart glasses: this is probably Snapchat’s goal.

We can also see a more deep goal in this operation, as an alternative realities expert highlights to CNET: “If they are actually investing in new tech, that could be great. They probably know that most apps in their situation have a limited lifespan and monetisation potential”.