Snapchat releases Lens Studio to build AR, like dancing hot dogs
Snap is opening up to more creators. The self-proclaimed camera company released Lens Studio on Thursday as a way for developers to build augmented-reality experiences for Snapchat.
The tool, available as a desktop app on Mac and Windows, is similar to Facebook's AR studio, released earlier this week. Google offers ARCore, and Apple has ARKit. Snapchat is betting designers will want to use its system to build for its community of 173 million daily active users. Snapchat users are quite familiar with AR and have been using it since the app released lenses (or face filters) in 2015.
SEE ALSO:Snapchat just completely redesigned its app. Here's why."We’ve been doing this more than 2.5 years," said Eitan Pilipski, VP of camera platform at Snap. "We've gained the knowledge of making more than 3,000 lenses, and we really tried to make it simple."
Snapchat's tool is quite easy to use. Pilipski said the company's hoping to appeal not only to experienced developers but also to illustrators and 2D designers. Snapchat worked with artists and students to test and refine the system when Lens Studio was in beta over the last year.
Snapchat's Lens StudioCredit: snapThe hope for Snap is that people creating more AR experiences exclusively for Snapchat inspires users to spend more time with the app.
Snap already touts that one-third of its daily users, about 58 million people, use AR in Snapchat about 3 minutes per day. The dancing hot dog lens received 1.5 billion views in about a month.
With Lens Studio, developers have a chance to build their own dancing hot dogs, or any other animated objects. That doesn't mean they'll receive prime placement within the Snapchat app like the dancing hot dog did. Snap charges people for that as one of its several revenue streams. However, Snap has worked with some artists like Jeff Koons to activate AR experiences in the app based on location -- not unlike stagnant geofilters.
Developers can create Snapcodes for distributing AR creations. By scanning a Snapcode, a Snapchat user has access to the lens for 24 hours. The codes themselves last for one year.
Scanning a SnapcodeCredit: snapFor developers, Lens Studio is one of several options to create AR experiences. In the last year, Google, Facebook, and Apple have released and promoted their own systems. Even Snapchat teamed up with Apple and used their ARKit to create improved face filters for the iPhone X. Snap also used ARKit for the Stranger Thingssponsored lens.
Each tool is a bit different, of course. There's no cross-distribution, as in developers must use Lens Studio to build for Snapchat. Snapchat's Lens Studio only offers templates and tools for building world lenses, experiences for the back camera and not front-facing selfie filters.
Most AR experiences in Snapchat have been for fun and entertainment, like 3D bitmojis. That could change by allowing people not just within Snapchat's offices to build for the app.
"In AR there’s a lot of emphasis on the technology and the complexity of technology. We’ve tried to stick to the design and create experiences that will engage our community," Pilipski said.
Indeed, Snapchat users loved the dancing hot dog. Snapchat also created a unicorn that vomits rainbows:
According to Pilipski, Lens Studio and AR will be a big focus for Snap in the next year.
"I think it will be fascinating to see how the community will use it and what type of features they want us to let into the roadmap," Pilipski said.
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TopicsAugmented RealityFacebookSnapchatSocial MediaInnovations
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