Snapchat is moving beyond the software game with its first foray into the hardware scene called the Snapglass, quietly hiring technology experts to develop the wearable.
Considering that the company is valued at $16 billion, it's more or less a natural step for it to expand to other ventures.
According to CNET, who got ahold of the news first, Snapchat now has about 12 veterans in the wearable technology industry, including designers who had a hand in Nokia handsets and the Logitech UE Boom Bluetooth Speaker.
In other words, they are clues that the Snapchat is now working on a physical product, and it's likely that the company will be known for something other than the ephemeral messaging app that it is today if all pans out.
Notable hires of the company include Mark Dixon, a former recruiter for the Microsoft HoloLens, and Eitan Pilipski, a former member of the Qualcomm Vuforia team who was hired as an engineering director back in January.
One more noteworthy hire is the eyewear designer Lauryn Morris, who made some frames for Innovega, Michael Kors and Zac Posen. That is arguably more than enough evidence that Snapchat intends to create a device with an eyeglass form factor. Morris has been a part of the company since November 2014.
"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 monetization potential," an unidentified virtual reality entrepreneur says.
Snapchat refused to comment regarding the project.
The development shouldn't come as much of a surprise, though, as Snapchat has already made some moves that hint at plans for virtual reality. The first sign was when it acquired Vergence Labs in 2014, a company that makes wearable devices similar to the Google Glass. The next one was when it started Snapchat Research, a division of the company that's focused on machine-learning technology.
To boil things down, it seems Snapchat is out to get a prominent spot in the wearable tech industry, challenging the likes of Google Glass with a smart stylish eyewear.
