Snapchat is one of the most popular social media platforms that has startled the world with its AR-based camera scanning features. At snap’s Partner Summit, it made an announcement of a number of updates to the company’s developer’s tools and AR-focused Lens studio which includes several focused on bringing shopping into the company’s experience.
One of the updates included the company’s computer vision Scan product. In this, the content in the user’s camera feed is analyzed and related information is brought up. Snap says that this feature is used by approximately 170 million users per month. Scan, which has now been given more prominent placement inside the camera section of the app, has been upgraded with commerce capabilities with a feature called Screenshop. Users can also use the camera to scan their friend’s outfit and subsequently, they’ll quickly be served up shopping recommendations from hundreds of brands. The company is using the same technology for another upcoming feature that will allow users to snap pictures of ingredients in their kitchen and get served recipes from Allrecipes that integrate them.
These features are a branch of broader effort to intelligently suggest lenses to users based on what their camera is currently focused on.
Hence, with this technology, businesses will be able to establish and grow public profiles inside Snapchat, enabling users to see all of their different offerings including Lenses, Highlights, Stories, and items for sale through Shop functionality.
With AR (Augmented Reality), Snap is continuing to emphasize business solutions with API integrations that make lenses smarter. Retailers will be able to access Business Manager so that they can integrate their product catalog on the application. The purpose of these API integrations is to ensure that whatever products the user is looking for, is in stock by the retailer.
Partnerships with luxury fashion platforms Farfetch and Prada will tap into further updates to the AR platform, including technical 3D mesh advances that make trying on clothing virtually appear more realistic.
“We’re excited about the power of our camera platform to bring Snap-chatters together with the businesses they care about in meaningful ways,” said Snap’s global AR product lead Carolina Arguelles Navas. “And, now more than ever, our community is eager to experience and try on, engage with, and learn about new products, from home.”
