The author experienced Snap's 5th generation Spectacles, which showcase advanced augmented reality (AR) capabilities, including multiplayer interactions.

The multiplayer aspect of AR was highlighted as a significant improvement over virtual reality, providing shared experiences both in real life and virtually.

These new Spectacles allow for interactive AR apps with hand-tracking, offering a new level of freedom compared to traditional virtual reality or mixed reality experiences.

Activities included playing with virtual pets and creating 3D drawings together, demonstrating the potential for collaborative and immersive experiences.

The author also tested a learning app that allowed users to examine a virtual skeleton, indicating practical applications for education.

Discussions with Snap's Director of Computer Vision Engineering and Niantic's Peridot Executive Producer revealed ongoing hardware challenges in making AR glasses lightweight and stylish.

Currently, the glasses are bulky and less fashionable, raising concerns about user adoption until improvements are made.

Despite some app limitations and bugs, the potential for future AR experiences feels imminent and exciting.

While there is no set release date for consumer versions of the Spectacles, there is strong enthusiasm for their eventual launch.