Snap's Specs look good on nobody

The new smart glasses from Snap look like an impressive bit of technology, and some of the most advanced glasses we've seen. But Nilay and David start the show by wondering, does that matter if nobody wants to put them on? What would it take to overcome the ear-smashing? After that, they discuss the reasons for (and problems awaiting) Fox's acquisition of Roku, the latest updates from Matter, Facebook's wild AI Mode, and more.

Further reading:

• Snap is finally about to ship AR glasses — and they cost a fortune (theverge.com/tech/950492/snap-specs-ar-glasses…)

• Snap Unveils Specs Smart Glasses at AWE 2026 (youtube.com/watch?v=fzd-k98ZkLY)

• From CNBC: Snap CEO Evan Spiegel on new AR Specs: New opportunity to bring computing to the world around you (youtube.com/watch?v=h9OzwbeQ_6g)

• Qualcomm’s latest chip hints that more powerful smart glasses could be on the way (theverge.com/gadgets/950229/qualcomm-snapdrago…)

• The Microsoft Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 now come with Snapdragon X2 chips (theverge.com/tech/950146/microsoft-surface-lap…)

• Commodore’s Callback 8020 is a retro flip phone with modern ideals (theverge.com/tech/950190/commodore-callback-fl…)

• Google’s first smart speaker in six years arrives next week (theverge.com/tech/951147/google-home-speaker-g…)

• Fox is buying Roku (theverge.com/business/949727/fox-roku-acquisit…)

• Fox wants to take over your TV — and the tech inside it (theverge.com/streaming/950116/fox-roku-takeover)

• Netflix was reportedly worried about antitrust scrutiny if it bought Roku instead of Fox. (theverge.com/streaming/950775/netflix-was-repo…)

• Fox is taking over Roku City (theverge.com/streaming/950644/fox-roku-acquisi…)

• How Stephen Colbert’s Replacement Is Helping Tank the Rest of CBS (thedailybeast.com/obsessed/how-stephen-colbert…)

• Will Matter finally be able to do what it should have always done? | The Verge (theverge.com/tech/950679/matter-1-6-spec-smart…)

• Thread Direct looks to solve Matter’s biggest setup headache | The Verge (theverge.com/tech/950732/thread-direct-thread-…)

• Half a billion people are using Threads every month (theverge.com/tech/950480/meta-threads-500-mill…)

• Facebook’s new AI Mode search gets its info from public posts (theverge.com/tech/950264/meta-ai-mode-search-f…)

Subscribe to The Verge (theverge.com/subscribe) for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed (theverge.com/bulletin/795051/verge-podcast-ad-…).

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.

(Timestamps are approximate.)

00:01:00 Intro

00:02:00 Snap Specs revealed

00:06:00 Snap software advantage

00:08:00 Price comfort reality check

00:10:00 True AR breakthrough

00:15:00 Demos vs daily life

00:21:00 Privacy and moderation risks

00:27:00 Fox buys Roku why

00:29:00 Distribution is power

00:33:00 Roku neutrality ends

00:37:00 Roku Lock-In Debate

00:41:00 Piracy Exit Ramp

00:42:00 Tubi Meets Roku Channel

00:46:00 Go90 Scale Rankings

00:52:00 Distribution Matters CBS

00:57:00 Hype Desk Movies

01:03:00 Knicks Laptop Festival

01:06:00 Brendan Carr Is A Dummy

01:10:00 Radio Ownership Waivers

01:12:00 Threads User Numbers

01:16:00 Meta AI Mode Risks

01:19:00 Matter Joint Fabric

01:28:00 Wrap Up and Plugs

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices