Snapchat Uses Vending Machines to Sell ‘Spectacle’ Smart Sunglasses

Forget about pop-up stores or branded kiosks. The new thing for selling your tech product is apparently vending machines — at least according to SnapChat, which is using bright yellow dispensers to market its new line of Spectacle photo- and video-taking sunglasses.

USA Today reports that Snapchat on Thursday started selling its camera-equipped Spectacle sunglasses through pop-up vending machines — dubbed Snapbots — for a limited-time.

Spectacles, which are essentially fancy sunglasses for taking first-person video clips shared on Snapchat, are being sold for $129.99.

The device works when a user touches the button on the glasses, they light up, record for 10 seconds, and then post the clip via WiFi or bluetooth to their Snapchat account.

The first Snapbot appeared in Venice Beach near Snap’s headquarters on Thursday. When customers approach the machine, Business Insider reports, motion sensors will activate, showing footage filmed through the glasses.

Those planning to purchase a pair of Spectacles can virtually try on the product in each of the three colors it comes in by pushing the corresponding black, coral, or teal buttons on the machine.

To keep customers up-to-date on where the next Snapbot will appear, Snap released a map that shows where Spectacles can be purchased 24 hours before the vending machine debuts.

The sale of Spectacles comes just two days after Snapchat released a system update suggesting it was getting ready to actually sell the wearable device first introduced in September. The update created a setting that allowed users to pair their newly purchased Spectacles with the Snapchat app.

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