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Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

wsj.com

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Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#141

Post by Nanite »

fowlerpower wrote: post #7

I think this is significantly better than what Google did with Google Glass. It's better because it focuses on the one thing that is really easy to do well. It does not try to do everything at once. It doesn't try to give you apps in your glasses and everything under the sun. This is the right approach to products. Do one thing but do that well. Before you criticize me think back to the original iPhone, it didn't sta…

What happened to google glass is textbook: Exec walks into R&D lab and falls in love with alpha stage project, utters the words: we should release this to the public, stat! and failure ensues.

Glass as a AR demonstrator is doing quite well as a beta product for enterprise. Augmedix comes to mind.

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#142

Post by personjerry »

akhatri_aus wrote: post #130
flohofwoe wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't tell whether your comment is satire or serious, I should quit the internet today ;) Also, that 'thing' looks even more ridiculous then Google Glass.

It doesn't look ridiculous to the audience its catered to. Thick frames are in style & its symmetrical. A typical snapchat user would not be concerned by most of the things mentioned on this thread, except that these glasses fit a certain lifestyle these users are aspiring to. I.e what you could be doing with these glasses on you as opposed to anything to do with the glasses themselves. I guess the only way to find w…

As part of the audience it's catered to, it absolutely looks ridiculous. The question is, is it useful/interesting/popular/trendy enough to warrant that ridiculousness? It'll depend on how they market it.

My opinion is that Snapchat is pretty good already, so why would I need this? Hence my analysis is that it would be difficult for Snap to market this product effectively without cannibalizing their existing product, so it's interesting to see whether they will make the queen's gambit.

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#143

Post by TeMPOraL »

I like it. Seriously, "creepy" is just a word that means "I can't accept the reality doesn't work the way I'd like it".

That said, I worry about implementation. My guess is that it's going to be directly and permanently tied to Snapchat itself. Which significantly reduces the potential usefulness of this product - not everything you record is something you only want to have sent directly to Snapchat. Personally, I want files. Plain, old files. Is that so hard to understand for all those cloud-first companies?

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#144

Post by StavrosK »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #136
StavrosK wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm surprised too, at that age you barely have any of your milk teeth left.

You've just triggered my midlife crisis again. I'm 28, which is halfway to the grave :(.

I think you might even make it to 60 if you stop smoking, drinking and start exercising more!

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#145

Post by primigenus »

This fixes everything broken about Google Glass. It's almost disturbing how much more on point this is:

Of _course_ they're sunglasses.

Of _course_ it's focused completely on video.

Of _course_ it's marketed as being about sharing your memories as you lived them.

Of _course_ you can only record 10 second videos at a time.

Of _course_ snaps automatically sync to the app.

Of _course_ they're designed to appeal to young fashionable people.

Of _course_ the charge lasts all day

This is one of those things where once you see it it's just obvious this is what it was supposed to be all along.

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#146

Post by rodgerd »

josephpmay wrote: post #84

Being someone in the AR space, I find this a smart but risky move. If they're marked right and become "cool" I'll definitely have to cop a pair (and at $130 they're almost disposable). Spectacles will make it way easier for me to post to Snapchat at parties/concerts/etc without having to break out of the moment by taking my phone out. Strategy-wise, this is a Trojan horse into the AR hardware space, which Evan has wa…

> without having to break out of the moment

"Without letting people know I'm going to film them and spam them over the Internet."

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#147

Post by wingerlang »

personjerry wrote: post #142
akhatri_aus wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't look ridiculous to the audience its catered to. Thick frames are in style & its symmetrical. A typical snapchat user would not be concerned by most of the things mentioned on this thread, except that these glasses fit a certain lifestyle these users are aspiring to. I.e what you could be doing with these glasses on you as opposed to anything to do with the glasses themselves. I guess the only way to find w…

As part of the audience it's catered to, it absolutely looks ridiculous. The question is, is it useful/interesting/popular/trendy enough to warrant that ridiculousness? It'll depend on how they market it. My opinion is that Snapchat is pretty good already, so why would I need this? Hence my analysis is that it would be difficult for Snap to market this product effectively without cannibalizing their existing product,…

Does the typical snapchat user hang out on HN? When I think of snapchats core audience I think 18 year olds who are "super social" and care a lot about fashion and "new stuff".

Not saying it can't overlap, but still.

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#148

Post by sheer_horror »

ftrflyr wrote: post #57
sheer_horror wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Snapchat is able to sell this product to only 5% of their 150M userbase that's 7.5M * $130 = 1B in revenue. Then they diversify their future product line somehow and keep selling to the other 95% of their users. Forget a re-monetization strategy for ads - ads make a product worse and it is refreshing that there may be another way for VC-backed companies to monetize.

Devils advocate here. You overlooking quite a few things. Realistically, let's break some things down: Background: Google Glass Cost: $1,500 for early adopters (irrelevant) Cost to Manufacture: ~$100 USD Sale Price: $299 Margin: ~33% (low)? Probably. Yes! Yes with economies of scale...blah....blah...blah... Let's assume (I'll use the 150M, but I don't want to): A. 5% of their 150M userbase that's 7.5M * $130 = $1B US…

You say 'realistically' but you're speculating that they are losing appeal and that they won't try and sell another product.

The only thing to realize is they have a $100+ device that is compelling to their 150M user base. That's a great sign. I think that the manufacturing chain for 'cheap shit electronics toys' is developed enough in 2016 to make good margins.

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#149

Post by nappy »

primigenus wrote: post #145

This fixes everything broken about Google Glass. It's almost disturbing how much more on point this is: Of _course_ they're sunglasses. Of _course_ it's focused completely on video. Of _course_ it's marketed as being about sharing your memories as you lived them. Of _course_ you can only record 10 second videos at a time. Of _course_ snaps automatically sync to the app. Of _course_ they're designed to appeal to young…

The product perfectly matches the brand, using technology in a way that fits user needs. I'll be excited to see how they do.

Re: Snapchat Releases First Hardware Product, Spectacles

#150

Post by smokeyj »

keithwhor wrote: post #134
flohofwoe wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't tell whether your comment is satire or serious, I should quit the internet today ;) Also, that 'thing' looks even more ridiculous then Google Glass.

Dead serious. "Cool" is all this product needs to be successful. People buy sunglasses. People like Snapchat. At $129 this is a no-brainer. Don't underestimate the power of social signaling.

Reads like a full page ad by the WSJ. Uncool on multiple levels.
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