Snap’s 16 September launch put field service, remote support and retail alongside its consumer demos. Employers now have named applications to investigate, although Snap hasn’t said when each one will be available or what a complete business setup will cost.
Snap announced enterprise partnerships for Specs at its 16 September launch. Alongside translation, games and entertainment, the company set out how its $2,195 AR glasses could be used in shops, factories and the field.
Salesforce, AWS, NVIDIA, Trifork and Hololight are developing applications for field service, stock enquiries, remote support and streamed 3D workspaces.
The enterprise section begins at 23:20 in the full launch replay, covering Salesforce, Amazon Quick, NVIDIA, Trifork, Hololight and device management.
Evan Spiegel, Snap’s co-founder and CEO, said in the company’s launch announcement:
“SPECS are built from the ground up to make computing more human…I’m so excited about the new ways SPECS can help you get things done, with your head up and your hands free.”
When Specs opened for pre-orders at AWE in June, The XR Beat argued that developers, work tools and repeat use would decide whether the price made sense.
Six enterprise vacancies advertised in July showed Snap building a team to sell into manufacturing, retail, healthcare and higher education. The September launch fills in some of the software, although it didn’t yet name a customer deployment or provide release dates for the integrations.
Salesforce and AWS Connect Specs to Existing Systems
Salesforce is bringing Agentforce to Specs. Snap says an employee could identify an object, create a service case, retrieve information and update a workflow through the glasses.
Companies already using Salesforce may have less software to commission before they can try Specs. A technician could open an existing job, check its history and update the record without moving to a separate screen. Snap hasn’t published the availability, pricing or implementation requirements for the integration.
AWS is working with Snap to connect Amazon Quick. Snap’s example is a retail employee asking where a product is stored and how many are in stock.
A phone or handheld scanner can already answer many stock questions. A retailer would need to find jobs where information placed in the worker’s view saves enough time, or prevents enough errors, to justify $2,195 glasses and the software around them.
NVIDIA’s role is less specific. Snap says agents built on the NVIDIA XR AI stack will use information about a worker’s surroundings and company data to offer guidance. Buyers will need to know what those agents can recognise, which company systems they can access and how an employer checks the instructions before staff rely on them.
Remote Support Uses the AR Display
Trifork’s Tandem connects a technician with a remote expert who can see their view and add visual annotations. Hololight is developing streamed access to documents, tools and 3D models.
Perhaps a remote-support pilot could measure the cost of specialist visits it avoids. It could also track repair time and the number of jobs completed first time, while including the cost of hardware, integration, connectivity and support.
Visual annotations also use the part of Specs that cheaper audio glasses can’t provide. An expert can point to the correct cable or valve in the technician’s view, while a 3D model can show how an assembly fits together beside the real equipment.
Specs are standalone, with a 51-degree field of view and a weight of 132g or 136g, depending on size. Snap claims up to four hours of mixed use. A field team would still need to check battery life during live support, comfort across a shift and compatibility with required protective equipment.
IT Teams Still Need Deployment Details
Snap’s own enterprise announcement expressly accepts that the applications are only part of the job.
“For businesses, introducing a new computing platform requires more than compelling experiences.”
The company says it is working with device-management vendors on administration and security controls. It hasn’t named them or set out what IT teams will be able to control when Specs ship.
An employer will need a way to enrol the glasses, approve applications, manage accounts, protect company information and wipe a device when it changes hands. Procurement also needs one support route when a fault involves Snap’s hardware and a partner’s software.
Our recent report on Ronan Harris and Snap’s enterprise push examined how the company plans to support its investment in Specs. Developers committing staff to the platform, and employers considering several sites, will want support and update commitments that extend beyond the first hardware sale.
Specs are expected to ship this autumn in the US, UK and France. The launch also introduced a charging case with cellular connectivity, taking the connected bundle to $2,395. Verizon, EE and Orange will supply data plans in the three launch markets.
The case deals with one obvious problem for field work: staying connected away from Wi-Fi. Hardware is only the start of the bill once software, integration and support are added. The first customer willing to explain what Specs cost to deploy, how often staff used them and whether they avoided enough travel or downtime to justify the bill will tell us far more than another partner logo.
