AWE 2026 May Unveil Snap Specs and Snapdragon XR Gen 3 as $299 AR Fight Intensifies
Updated
Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 12
AWE 2026 May Unveil Snap Specs and Snapdragon XR Gen 3 as $299 AR Fight Intensifies
1 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 12
Summary
AWE 2026 in Long Beach could deliver the first real public look at Snap’s consumer Specs, which Snap has already said are due in 2026 and are expected to be substantially smaller than its developer Spectacles.
Qualcomm is also seen as a likely source of new XR silicon after using AWE 2025 to launch the Snapdragon AR1+ Gen 1, with speculation now centered on a next Snapdragon XR chip to power upcoming Android XR devices.
That timing would fit a broader hardware wave this fall, including Xreal’s Project Aura and Snap’s Qualcomm partnership around the “future of specs,” as vendors push more power and efficiency into lighter wearable designs.
Competition is also tightening on price: RayNeo’s Air 4 Pro leads at $299, Xreal has matched that with X By Xreal, and Viture is under pressure to show how it will respond.
Beyond hardware, the sector is splitting between more capable AI-driven AR glasses and privacy-focused simpler designs, with the race unfolding ahead of Apple’s expected first smart glasses in early 2027.