Snap has marked the six-month anniversary of its fifth generation Spectacles by showcasing new geo-location features that developers can start using now, and previewing what an all-day AR experience might be like, though that capability is not here yet. The latest Spectacles — introduced September 2024 and described as “still very much a developer kit” — have only 45 minutes of standalone battery power. But Snap has made immediately available for developers a swathe of geo-location data for better outdoor AR experiences, showcasing the integrations with gear from Utopia Labs.

“While Apple and Meta are developing the next stage of AR wearables, Snapchat also remains a key player in the AR glasses race, with its own Spectacles, which have now been on the market for close to a decade,” Social Media Today writes, noting that while consumers still can’t purchase the Gen 5 Spectacles, the company has been busy touting its upgrades.

In a newsroom post, Snap explains the new features, including demo videos and a video interview between Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Aidan Wolf, an independent Spectacles developer who works closely with Snap developing Lenses and other features.

“Snap announced that developers can start building Lenses (apps) integrating data from GPS, GNSS, compass heading, and custom locations, essentially giving devs access to geo-location data for better outdoor AR experiences,” reports Road to VR.

“NavigatAR from Utopia Labs is a sample Lens that shows how GPS, Snap Map Tiles, and compass heading can be used to help you get from point A to point B. Similarly, Path Pioneer is another sample Lens that provides building blocks for creating indoor and outdoor AR walking courses that keep you active,” Snap explains in its post.

Geo-location data helped Niantic bring multiplayer functionality to its Spectacles AR pet simulator “Peridot Beyond.” Snap’s new updates allow “progression within the AR glasses experience to carry over to [‘Peridot’] mobile,” Road to VR says.

Snap also collaborated with Wabisabi to integrate SnapML into “Doggo Quest,” a gamified AR dog-walking AR app that overlays digital effects on pups while tracking step counts and routes. Such demos provide a feel for what it will be like to have AR glasses that are “always on” and segue from in-home to outdoor use.