Snapchat's New 'World Lenses' Are More Than Fun; They Open Up the Possibilities of AR

Snap Inc. is no stranger to augmented reality. In fact, AR has been the Snapchat app's most popular feature, as face filters continue to update and change the way we communicate with each other. But in a new move, Snap Inc. is showing its commitment to improving AR and its real-world integration with its updated world lenses.

These new world lenses allow the user to place 3D objects in the real world through the view of their camera. These objects can be moved almost anywhere and can be made bigger or smaller. More impressively, the object acts as though it's in a fixed place, so the user can experience the object in a full 360-degree field.

These are not the first world lenses, however; The Snapchat app has had this feature since November 2016, but world lenses have never been this interactive for fans of the platform. Before, you could "see" an object in 3D space, but you could not manipulate it much. These new world lenses give you better control and provide more features than what was previously available.

While the applications, however impressive at this stage, are still a little bare, it's an intriguing development for AR. Today, Snapchat users can walk through an augmented reality rainbow, but tomorrow, our backyard could be the stage for an epic battle filled with interactive enemies to defeat.

Besides play, this technology could also be used in education, potentially offering the ability to present interactive lessons for educators through smart devices. This could be a more effective tool for children (and adults!) to learn and could open the door for more personalized and effective lessons in the future.

Whatever the case may be, what Snap Inc. has done here is both fun and exciting, giving us an opportunity to speculate about the future AR will play in our daily lives while placing a crying cloud above the heads of our favorite pets.

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Cover image via Snapchat/YouTube