Rumors have been going around that Snapchat is taking steps towards creating augmented reality features. Well it seems that the latest update to the app confirms that as they are bringing a world lenses feature to make the photos and videos you share even more interesting. It’s also a sort of sneaky move from Snap Inc as they made the announcement on the same day of the Facebook F8 developers conference, as the latter is seemingly trying to “kill” the former.
Basically what happens is that when you use your main camera to take a snap, you will see new 3D lenses, even before you take a picture or video. For now, your only options are a cloud, a rainbow, flowers, and a colorful OMG sticker but they will be adding and changing it up daily. Once you’ve chosen the lens, you can then move it around the screen before taking a photo or video.
Unlike the previous stickers that are just flat, these world lenses act as if they’re actual real-life objects. So if you go near it, it will become bigger and then smaller the farther away you move from your subject. Also, you can apply it even before you take the snap unlike the stickers that can only be added after you’ve taken the photo or video.
A lot of apps have been essentially copying Snapchat’s winning formula, and so the app will have to step up its game even more. It looks like augmented reality is their next major step, but Facebook may not be far behind, based on the news coming out of San Jose.
SOURCE: Snapchat
