Snap Inc announces new app to create augmented reality lenses for Snapchat

Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc has, on 14 December, announced a new app which will let you design AR lenses for Snapchat. The app, called as Lens Studio, is available for Mac and Windows desktop computers.

This is the first time that users will be able to create lenses for Snapchat and this is most certainly going to boost the user interaction in the Snapchat app which, according to The Verge, has 70 million users a day interacting with lenses.

The Lens Studio app will offer templates and guidelines to get started on both 3D and 2D designs, reports The Verge. Once your Lens is complete, a special Snapcode will be provided to you which can be shared with your friends. Once the recipient of this Snapcode scans it, he/she will be able to use your custom made AR lens.

The Verge says that for the time being, normal users will be restricted to what Snap calls “world lenses”, which are basically effects captured using rear-facing camera. For the front face filters, Snap plans to partner with seven ad agencies who would design the filters and then advertisers would place them in the app on a chargeable basis, according to the report.

he Lens Studio app is available globally in the English language at the moment.