Why Snap Needed an Iron Man Star Before Its $2,195 Glasses Go on Sale

Snap Specs named Robert Downey Jr. its honorary Chief Customer Experience Officer on Oct. 20, 2026, ahead of its $2,195 augmented reality glasses going on sale later this fall. The company has not disclosed terms or pay; in June, tech reporter Alex Heath said Snap was in talks to pay Downey about $100 million, a figure neither side confirmed. Snap Specs overlays apps, games and an AI assistant on the real world, and videos show Downey using it for golf, watching shows and learning skills. Snap stock fell when CEO Evan Spiegel unveiled the glasses at the Augmented World Expo in June; Meta sells a $1,299 virtual reality device, while Snap’s AR glasses cost almost $900 more.