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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Despite disappointing results [soylentnews.org] for its first (test?) run, Snap(chat) has released a second generation [theverge.com] of its Spectacles [wikipedia.org] wearable camera:

Snap today released the next generation of Spectacles [spectacles.com], its wearable camera, with new features for taking photos and water resistance. The sunglasses, which have the same striking form as the first-generation model, have been slimmed down and now come in three jewel tones: onyx (black), ruby (red), and sapphire (blue). They're available to order starting today at Spectacles.com [spectacles.com] for $150 — $20 more than the previous model.

If you've followed the story of Spectacles so far, you know that the first version proved to be a costly misstep for Snap Inc. Although reviewers were generally impressed with their whimsical design, Snap made far more units than the 150,000 or so [theinformation.com] that it ultimately sold. The company wrote down nearly $40 million [businessinsider.com] in merchandise, and laid off about a dozen people.

Even worse, from the company's perspective, is that people who bought Spectacles didn't use them for very long. According to Business Insider, less than half of users continued to use Spectacles [businessinsider.com] a month after buying them. They were presented as the future of communication, but the first iteration of Spectacles felt more like a toy — a relatively cheap novelty that people used a handful of times before stuffing into a drawer.

Also at TechCrunch [techcrunch.com], The Guardian [theguardian.com], Adweek [adweek.com], and Macworld [macworld.com].

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