Latest news with #Snapchat+
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I used Snapchat+ for a month and I can't get enough of its generative AI features — here's why
I've hit an age where I'm so late on hearing about social media trends that it's considered "cringe-worthy," and I've accepted the fact that I'll never be as cool as I was during the boom of Facebook during my teens. It comes as no surprise, then, that plenty of the most popular social media apps have past me by over the years, and that includes Snapchat. I mean, I dabbled with it back in its prime after its release in 2011 (the good 'ol iPhone 5 days), and then to touch base with pals in university. After that (and multiple smartphone changes), it faded from my home screen. But I'm mistaken, as Snapchat is very much still in its prime, and the platform has gone well beyond just being an app these days. It released its own pair of smart glasses, now evolved into the latest Snap Spectacles AR glasses that push augmented reality even further — and I had a whale of a time trying them out (and you will, too, with the company's recently announced Snap AR Glasses next year). Anyway, Snap's popularity really came to my attention when I was given the opportunity to try out Snapchat+. Me, using a premium subscription service for a social platform that offers complete control over how one interacts with, views and posts Stories? I was in for a trip. I signed up, made an account and and was flooded with a host of camera options, customizable filters and a never-ending reel of snappy videos. But most importantly, I was introduced to Snap's generative AI Lenses — and let me tell you, I've been entertained for weeks. We've seen viral AI image generation trends like turning yourself into an action figure with ChatGPT and the wild level of creativity Midjourney offers, and while Snap's own generative AI Lenses, along with its My AI chatbot and more, isn't the best around, it is some of the most fun I've had with an easy-access social media app. You can learn all you need to know about generative AI with our handy guide, but what exactly is Snapchat+? Snapchat+ is a subscription service that offers users access to exclusive, experimental and pre-release features that enhance and personalize their Snap experience. It's priced at $3.99 / £4.49 per month or $29.99 / £33.99 for an annual plan. Put simply, it offers a boatload of tools to make the most of the platform, such as Story Boost to get more views on a story over 24 hours, Replay Again to see a Snap twice, Peek a Peek to see if a friend is looking at a one-to-one or group chat, add a pet or car to your Bitmoji for all to see on Snap Map and plenty more. It also offers several AI features, like customizing the My AI chatbot to your liking, adding AI captions to your Snaps and exploring exclusive generative AI lenses as they come out. Then there's Snapchat Premium, which is the same as the Plus subscription but without any ads — so no sponsored Snap, Stories or Lens ads. Is it for everyone? No, and probably not for those like me that barely take pictures to post on a daily basis. But I can imagine what Snapchat+ can do for social media aficionados, whether they're small brands or big-time influencers. And judging by the 15 million Snapchat+ subscribers there are to date, it says a lot about the subscription service. I had no idea where to start with Snapchat, so I sat down with my partner and started scrolling through Lenses. If you're not in the know, these are AR overlays that apply digital effects, whether it's turning you into an anime character or making you look like Squidward. You'll know a Lens in Snapchat is powered by generative AI when it includes a sparkle"✨" icon, among other ways. There are millions of Lenses to try, and on the first attempt, we spent the better part of an hour just going through them all, and crying with laughter along the way. We came upon the New Hairstyle AI Lens, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm a proud member of the no-hair club. As a bald man, this Lens excited me, and it gave my partner a look at what could have been (also, there was one Lens that gave a bald look and, er, it didn't change a thing for me — so I guess it did a good job). The AI-generated images look more like my face is superimposed on a random body, but that didn't stop my partner from shedding a few tears (presumably because of its beauty, I hope?). Other fun ones include being made into a slender Atlantean king, as apparently that's my kingdom, being a bedazzled DJ at a royal party and dropping some "ye olde beats" as a Duke with not one, but two peace signs. The one of me at the royal party has the essence of my appearance, but more like a a version of me in another universe where I would actually attend a royal party. I could also use the My AI chatbot to describe the pictures I take, and from what it came up with, it could be fairly accurate. It could name a cup of coffee, and chopping board and more, and when taking a picture of myself and asking AI to fill in the caption, it said "bald and bearded - the ultimate combo!" So, thanks for that, I guess. There's also the option to send snaps to My AI, where it can ask you what something is. I took a snap of my partner's dog, asking the AI to describe what breed it was. It did say he's a puggle, a mix between a pug and a beagle, which wasn't far off (there's a bit of Jack Russel Terrier in there). It's clear Snapchat has done a lot with its own take on AI, but angled it as an amusing way to create fun, hilarious and silly images and videos that people can have a laugh with. But I've seen other ways it's been implemented, especially with its Spectacles for developers, and it's all to do with being able to communicate in new, creative ways. From sharing silly snaps or videos with friends and family to simply having a laugh, Snapchat+ offers oodles of entertainment. There can be some impressive generative AI here, and while it won't be the most realistic or detailed images or videos of yourself being part of a royal party or some other random situation like we've seen with Google's Veo 3, I have to remind myself that AI can just be fun. If you are looking to get creative and see how far you can push AI, you'll find the best AI image generators and best AI video generators will do the trick. Now, I'm off to see what other hairstyles I can whip up.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Snap Launches ‘Lens+‘ Paid Subscription Offering for Advanced AR Features
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Snapchat's adding another element to its popular Snapchat+ subscription offering, with 'Lens+,' which will provide exclusive access to a range of additional AR experiences that are only available to paying users. So now, not only will you be able to pay for the 30+ add-on features of Snapchat+, which aim to enhance your overall in-app experience, but you'll also be able to get new, advanced AR tools and experiences in the app, all for the low price of $8.99 per month (with Snapchat+ subscription included). As explained by Snap: 'In addition to all of the value from our Snapchat+ subscription, Lens+ provides access to hundreds of Lenses and AR experiences that let you play, create, and share Snaps with friends in whole new ways.' Which could also provide a new monetization pathway for Snap's 400,000+ AR creators. Snap's Lens Studio has been a powerful launching pad for AR development, and enabling more people to create their own AR experiences. This could provide a means for them to charge for these advanced options, and facilitate all new growth opportunities within Snap's creator ecosystem. But it's not moving in that direction just yet. Snap says that, at launch, Lens+ subscribers will be able to access Lenses built by Snapchat, as well as some from select creators, 'including exclusive AI video Lenses, a brand new Bitmoji Game Lens, and more.' The AI options, presumably, will be the big carrot here, as Snap looks to lure more paying subscribers with next-level features. Snapchat says that it will be looking to add new AR experiences every week, as it builds on the offering. It's another avenue to expanded revenue intake for the app, which, as noted, has already seen success with Snapchat+, which is now up to 15 million subscribers. Snap's audience nous, combined with its largely affluent user base, makes this a prime opportunity for the app, and it'll be interesting to see just how popular AR add-ons will be, and whether more users will be willing to pay extra for such. Snap says that users can subscribe to Lens+ by tapping their Bitmoji character on their profile, then tapping the Snapchat+ link. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Snapchat rolls out a new $8.99 Lens+ subscription tier
Snapchat on Wednesday announced the launch of a new Snapchat+ tier called 'Lens+.' The new tier costs $8.99 per month and, as its name suggests, is centered around giving users access to exclusive Lenses and AR experiences. In addition to giving users access to the perks unlocked with the standard $3.99 per month Snapchat+ tier, Lens+ gives users the ability to use hundreds of Lenses that let you 'play, create, and share Snaps' with others, the company says. 'We're starting with Lenses built by Snapchat and select creators, including exclusive new AI video Lenses, a brand new Bitmoji Game Lens, and more — and we'll be adding new AR experiences every week,' Snapchat explained in a blog post. A Snap spokesperson told TechCrunch in an email that the company won't be gating any Lenses that have previously been available for free. In the coming months, select Lens creators will be able to monetize exclusive Lenses, the company says. This means that creators will be able to unlock a new way to grow their earnings on the platform. Snapchat did not share any details about what the revenue split will look like for creators. Launched in 2022, Snapchat+ has over 14 million paid subscribers. The social network has attributed the paid subscription tier as a big driver of revenue growth. In April, Snap reported first-quarter revenue of $1.36 billion, a 14% year-over-year increase. The company said at the time that the uptick was driven by the growth of its Snapchat+ subscription service, along with progress that it had made with its advertising solutions. By launching another subscription tier, Snap is looking to grow its revenue even more by locking its more advanced Lenses and AR experiences behind a paywall. Of course, not everyone will want to pay to access these features. It's worth noting that Snapchat also offers a $14.99 per month Platinum Snapchat+ tier that gets rid of ads and gives you access to all of the perks in the standard Snapchat+ and Lens+ tiers. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Snap Inc. (SNAP): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on Snap Inc. (SNAP) on Substack by LongYield. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on SNAP. Snap Inc. (SNAP)'s share was trading at $7.83 as of May 1st. SNAP's forward P/E was 36.63 according to Yahoo Finance. Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash Snap Inc.'s Q1 2025 earnings show notable progress, with total revenue reaching $1.363 billion, a 14% year-over-year increase. The bulk of this revenue comes from advertising, totaling $1.211 billion, which grew 9% from the previous year. Additionally, the company's subscription service, Snapchat+, brought in $152 million, a significant 75% increase. This shift towards direct-response (DR) advertising, now representing 75% of ad revenue, marks a strategic pivot, although brand-oriented advertising revenue experienced a 3% decline. This decline in brand advertising signals potential challenges in upper-funnel demand, which could be a sign of broader macroeconomic pressures affecting advertiser spending. On the profitability front, Snap made substantial improvements, narrowing its net loss to $140 million from $305 million in the same quarter last year, representing a 54% improvement. This was driven by higher revenues, reduced non-recurring costs, and gains from repurchasing $1.44 billion of convertible notes. The company also saw a 137% year-over-year increase in adjusted EBITDA, which reached $108 million, underscoring Snap's disciplined approach to cost management. Furthermore, operating cash flow of $152 million and free cash flow of $114 million reflect the company's solid financial position, with a trailing twelve-month free cash flow totaling $295 million. Snap's balance sheet shows a healthy $3.2 billion in cash and marketable securities, alongside a reduced debt load of $3.5 billion after issuing new senior unsecured notes. Snap's user base continues to grow, with daily active users (DAUs) increasing 9% year-over-year to 460 million. The growth in the Rest of the World region was particularly strong, up 16% from the previous year, while North America saw a slight decline in DAUs. The company's monthly active users surpassed 900 million, marking a key milestone. Although global impressions grew by 17% year-over-year, Snap faced a decline in effective cost-per-mille (eCPM), down 7% due to inventory expansion outpacing demand. Despite these challenges, Snap saw a 60% increase in active advertisers, with small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) driving this growth, which speaks to improvements in the company's advertising platform.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Snapchat+ subscribers can now create custom AI-generated stickers
In a bid to boost its subscription service and attract more paying users, Snapchat is rolling out additional features for Snapchat+ subscribers, including allowing Snapchat+ subscribers to create AI-generated stickers in chats. The social media company is also adding the option to send self-destructing Snaps. Snapchat+ subscribers in the U.S. can now create and send custom stickers that are generated to match their message. To do so, start typing in the chat bar and then select the sticker search button, where you'll find an AI-generated sticker that includes the text. It's worth noting that Snapchat isn't the only company that offers users the ability to create custom stickers with AI, as both Meta and Apple have launched similar features. The new feature builds on another Snapchat+ offering launched in 2023 that allows subscribers to create and send AI-generated images based on a text prompt. By adding custom AI-generated stickers, Snapchat is giving its paying users another way to play around with generative AI to spice up their chats. The launch of the feature comes two days after Snap unveiled an AI text-to-image research model for mobile devices that will help power the app's AI Snaps, AI Bitmoji Backgrounds, and more in the coming months. A spokesperson for Snap told TechCrunch that the new custom AI stickers feature is not powered by the new model at this time. It's possible that the company may use the model to power the feature at some point in the future. As for the new self-destructing Snaps, subscribers are getting access to a new feature called "Snap Modes" that gives them more ways to interact with friends. To start, Snap Modes will allow users to send self-destructing Snaps that vanish if they aren't viewed within a set time frame. Snapchat plans to add more Snap Mode options in the future, but it didn't detail what they could look like. Snapchat has been building out its subscription service to attract more users, as Snapchat+ has proven to be an effective way for the social network to increase its revenue. As part of its Q4 2024 earning release, Snap revealed that it now has 14 million Snapchat+ subscribers. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel noted that the company's "other revenue" unit, the majority of which is Snapchat+ subscription revenue, grew 131% year-over-year. The unit exited the year with an "annualized revenue run rate of well over $500 million," Spiegel said on a call with investors. Sign in to access your portfolio
