Snapchat Launches Standalone Lens Studio Mobile App
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As it continues to work on its advancing AR projects, including AR-enabled Spectacles, Snapchat has launched a new standalone Lens Studio mobile app, which aims to make it easier for people to build their own AR experiences.
As you can see in these images, Snap's Lens Studio app aims to provide a simplified effects creation flow, including templates and tools that will enable more people, even those without developer experience, to build custom in-app experiences.
As explained by Snap:
'We're excited to introduce the Lens Studio iOS app and web tool. These are experimental new tools that make it easier than ever to create, publish, and play with Snapchat Lenses made by you. Now, you can generate your own AI effects, add your dancing Bitmoji to the fun, and express yourself with Lenses that reflect your mood or an inside joke–whether you're on the go or near your computer.'
So it's less about professional AR creation, and more about democratizing the AR creation experience.
Indeed, the App Store description outlines exactly that:
'Make your own Snapchat Lenses from your phone and in minutes. No code. No installs. Create AI effects, add your Bitmoji, design natural makeup looks, and more. Create something real and immediately share with your friends.'
It's another step towards enabling broader creative expression with advanced digital tools, which has also been accelerated by generative AI apps and functions that can generate code for you based on plain language text prompts.
Meta's even using conversational AI prompts to generate VR worlds, and with the complexity gap closing, you can see how this will help to usher in an era of expanded digital creativity, in all new ways.
Snap has seen big success with user-generated Lenses, with these outside contributions often leading to new engagement trends in the app. Rather than limiting its creative output to its own internal team, enabling anyone to create their own AR experience has expanded its opportunity, and more than 400,000 professional developers and teams now use Lens Studio for their creative visions.
And now, Snap's setting its sights on non-technical folk as well, opening up even more opportunity for original AR experiences.
It could be a fun add-on, which helps to drive more engagement, and generates more engagement in the main Snapchat app.
You can download the Lens Studio mobile app in the App Store.
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