Snap’s new camera drone now comes with an extended wait time after the company did not manufacture enough of the product.
Buyers looking to acquire a Pixy—a small flying camera controlled through the Snapchat app—will have to wait up to 16 weeks for it to arrive, The Verge reported Friday. When the Santa Monica-based social media firm announced the $230 drone along with a variety of other new features last month, Pixy was said to be available “while supplies last” and already had an 11-to-12 week shipping window for its initial buyers.
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel acknowledged that the company “should have made more” drones, while also gesturing at supply chain issues before its launch. The company did not reveal just how many drones it initially produced, so whether the long wait comes from high demand or lack of availability is unknown, The Verge noted. A Snap spokesperson confirmed that the Pixys are not made-to-order. (Disclosure: Snap is an investor in dot.LA.)
The Pixy debacle appears to be a grievously miscalculated course correction; Snap previously lost millions after overestimating demand for its camera sunglasses. Last week, Spiegel debuted its latest update, an AR-augmented Spectacles, which is currently on presale to a select few despite the fact that it’s still in testing.
As Snap seeks to capture its Gen Z audience with new advertising partnerships and original content, the company is also building up its tech features. Snap has leaned into AR through shopping and local landmarks, and in March it acquired neuro-tech company NextMind to further advance its AR research. With Snap’s latest hardware facing shipping setbacks, it's unclear if the Pixy will alleviate pressures caused by a lackluster first quarter.