Now that the initial excitement for the Spectacles' launch is starting to simmer down, reports of weaknesses are starting to trickle in. These issues are important, as it could possibly derail the chances of the wearable device even before it hits the market.
The very first complain is, of course, you cannot wear the device at night or in dark places. One would probably say that they are sunglasses, for crying out loud. However, people should remember that the device is primarily aimed at the young and the hip crowd, who are highly mobile and notorious worshippers of the night.
There is, therefore, serious limitations to the use of Spectacles when going to a party, hanging out with friends in a bar or attending a concert. Even when it is daytime, one cannot take the device indoors or in areas with low lighting. Spectacles is outfitted with shady lenses one will find in conventional sunglasses.
You may be assured Snap would be inundated with suggestions relating to this issue. There is a proposal, for instance, detailing how the device could adopt photochromatic lenses, which adapt to different lighting conditions.
Secondly, Spectacles has been touted as a stand-alone device, recording videos on its own. Unfortunately, it is not. Unlike Google Glass, for example, the device stores captured video into the device itself. What was left out, however, in the ensuing praises for this tech virtue is that Spectacles is not capable of sharing those videos on its own. It will still need a smartphone to share or transfer the video clips.
Finally, there's still the case of privacy. Some have already written off this issue, arguing that first, Spectacles is single-minded, only offering a video capture service. Second, it shows people when the device is filming. Third, people are getting used to the idea of glass recording. Lastly, it is fun and kooky, which are factors that could endear it to the public.
However, a significant portion of the general public could still harbor some degree of animosity or reservation on smart glass recording. Once the device is lumped together with Google Glass or at least tied to it within one category, such perception could lead Spectacles down the road where Google Glass is now, taking Snap's more than $2-billion investment with it.
As weaknesses emerge, questions about Snap's past unflattering record on product development is also highlighted. These include the Bob Marley filter that blackened the user's face or the Yellowface filter that slants the user's eyes, completing the look with buckteeth and other features that stereotype the Asians.
