About SPECS by Snap

SPECS by Snap is a new generation of lightweight augmented reality (AR) glasses that integrate AI, digital content, and compute directly into the real world through transparent lenses. Designed to keep people present rather than focused on a phone or computer screen, SPECS enable natural interactions using voice, hand gestures, and contextual awareness to help users create, connect, learn, work, and share experiences in three-dimensional space. 

Developed by Specs Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Snap Inc., SPECS represent Snap’s vision for a more human-centered computing platform that seamlessly blends the digital and physical worlds.

Light frames, heavy-duty performance

SPECS pack advanced sensors and a see-through display into a compact wearable computer built for everyday wear. The Mapbox Navigation SDK provides a route and turn-by-turn guidance to get you to your destination. The developer-friendly architecture of the Mapbox platform meant that the SPECS team could craft natural-feeling navigation designed for the unique needs of SPECS wearers.

With a wearable, the less visible the map is, the more useful the device becomes — essential guidance appears when you need it and vanishes when you don’t.
Anu Sharma, VP of Product, Mapbox

The SPECS team needed to ensure that the navigation software development kit (SDK) could run on-device within a compact footprint. Working together, the SPECS team and Mapbox engineers optimized the already-compact Mapbox Navigation SDK and map tiles to fit onto the device with room to spare.

The map gets out of the way

Mapbox VP of Product, Anu Sharma, joined Snap CTO Bobby Murphy on stage at AWE 2026 to share the unique approach the team took to enable navigation on SPECS. As Anu explains, the best navigation solution is not always “more map.” In the case of SPECS, subtle guidance and a translucent map that appear only when needed is the right approach. Navigation on SPECS aims to help people move through the world with confidence, whether they are exploring a foreign city or finding a new destination in a familiar neighborhood.

Collaboration made simple with the SPECS NDK

The collaboration between teams at Snap and Mapbox sets the stage for a new approach to navigation, right before your eyes.

Developing for any new platform takes time even if the underlying chip architecture is compatible with existing supported platforms. The SPECS Native Development Kit (NDK) performs a clever transformation that allows the SPECS team to take the Mapbox Navigation SDK and use the NDK toolchain to compile it to run natively on SPECS, at full speed without rewriting anything. The NDK is a considerable accelerator for both SPECS and Mapbox. Instead of spending valuable weeks porting code, teams could experiment and innovate quickly and focus effort on developing a differentiated experience.

Snap brought a vision for AR navigation. Mapbox brought routes with guidance, Navigation SDK, vector map tiles, and an engineering partnership to bring it to life.

Learn more about building with the Mapbox Navigation SDK for mobile devices.