Snap may be prepping a new pair of augmented reality Snapchat Spectacles -- and it doesn't need to be connected to a phone to work

This is according to a report from The Information, which says the company is developing a follow-up to its older camera/sunglasses hybrid The updated AR Spectacles will overlay Snapchat's lens (or AR functionality) on the outside world, meaning you can leave your phone at home and enjoy pure sensory augmentation through Snap eyewear

The previous generation of Snap's Spectacles used a similar formula They feature a head-mounted camera that allows users to take photos and videos from a conventional frame and process the images on their phones If the new Spectacles can show AR effects without the need for a phone, it would be a new and significant difference from older models

In any case, consumers may not be able to purchase them For now, it appears that when the glasses are released, they will only be offered to developers and creators, not consumers

This is partly because Snap is reportedly eager to get developers to buy Spectacles and bring lenses and memorable experiences to the market, but it may also indicate that Snapchat is concerned about potential poor sales

Moreover, the latest generation Spectacles 3 costs $380 [The company has reportedly invested $20 million in a Chinese drone company, and engineers at Snap Lab, Snap's mysterious hardware group, appear to have made drone development a focus of their research

Information is still scarce, but a Snapchat drone that can overlay AR filters while flying through the air sounds like a winning combination We'll be watching with interest

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