Snapchat hopes for second time lucky with new Spectacles launch

Only 220,000 units of wearable gadget were sold first time around, with the tech firm writing off $40m in the process

Snap is doubling down on its hardware business, launching a new version of its Spectacles camera-glasses today with a better camera, the ability to take still images and water resistance.

The new model comes as Snapchat attempts to recover from the disappointing long-term fate of the first generation, which gathered attention - and long queues - when they were launched in extremely limited quantities in November 2016, but failed to sell in large numbers when they were eventually released on general sale.