Robert Downey Jr., whose famous portrayal of Marvel’s Iron Man had him decked out with a variety of high-tech gadgetry, is donning Snap‘s Specs augmented-reality glasses in a new role as lead spokesman for the devices.
Downey Jr.’s partnership with Specs kicked off with a collection of original episodes featuring him showing off the tech in everyday situations — at work, golfing, watching TV and “developing artistic skills.” (Watch them on the Specs site or on YouTube.) The actor-producer-entrepreneur’s pact with the company will make its broadcast debut Tuesday night during the New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers NBA tip-off game, while an original episode of RDJ’s content series will also make its broadcast debut during Game 1 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23.
Snap has said Specs will begin shipping “later this fall.” The glasses are available for pre-order starting at $2,195 for the WiFi-only version and $2,395 for a model with Verizon 5G connectivity. The device, which Snap CEO Evan Spiegel unveiled last month, responds to voice commands and hand gestures to interact with apps and the world around you.
Downey Jr. has been bestowed the “honorary Chief Customer Experience Officer (CCEO)” title for Specs. He will “work across different parts of the Specs organization to explore new capabilities, shape new Lens experiences and develop original content,” and will collaborate on hardware and in-person experiences, according to Snap.
“Trying is believing. Having tested practically every wearable tech that’s come to market in the last 20 years, and been largely unimpressed, I was absolutely sold on Specs within 40 seconds,” RDJ said in a statement. “The applications are endless.”
Spiegel added: “Robert has been imagining what this technology could become for nearly 20 years, and it’s an honor to work with him to bring that vision to life.”