At its annual Snap Partner Summit (SPS) 2024, Snap Inc. announced a wave of new features and products designed to enhance user experience and expand its augmented reality (AR) offerings. The announcements included a redesigned Snapchat app, AI-powered lenses and chat features, new ways for creators to build communities, and a groundbreaking fifth generation of its Spectacles AR glasses.
A New and Simple Snapchat
Snap is testing a simplified Snapchat interface that prioritises communication with friends, camera usage, and content discovery. Stories and Spotlight videos are now unified into a single, personalised feed on the right side of the app, powered by a new recommendation system. Conversations are grouped on the left, with Stories now at the top of the chat list.
AI-Powered Features
New AI Lenses: Snapchatters can try a new lens that offers a glimpse of what they'll look like in the future.
AI Memories: Snapchat+ subscribers can use AI to add captions, lenses, and even generate completely new Snaps from their memories.
My AI Problem Solver: My AI can now interpret Snaps of complex parking signs, translate menus, and identify plants.
New Ways for Creators
Snap is making it easier for creators to build communities and find success:
Simplified Profile Design: Snapchatters aged 16 and older can easily toggle between personal and public profiles.
Profile Customisation: Creators can now pin their favourite Snaps to the top of their public profiles.
Templates: Templates make it easy to create and share engaging Snaps using photos and videos from Memories and Camera Roll.
Replies and Quoting: Snapchatters can directly reply to creator Snaps, which creators can then turn into photo and video responses.
Snap Star Collab Studio: Helps creators partner with brands and share engagement and demographic data with advertisers.
Snap AR: Expanding In-App and Real-World Experiences
Snap is expanding its AR ecosystem with several initiatives:
Snapchat Cam in More Venues: Partners like the NFL and NBA are using Snapchat Cam to bring AR experiences to stadiums and arenas.
Lip Syncing Lens with Eminem: A new lens lets users create Snaps lip-syncing to Eminem's new song "Fuel," with support for thousands of other tracks coming soon.
NYX Beauty Bestie with Generative AI: An updated version of the NYX Beauty Bestie lens uses generative AI to recommend personalised makeup looks.
Introducing New Spectacles and Snap OS
Snap unveiled its fifth-generation Spectacles, standalone AR glasses with a see-through display and a lightweight design. Powered by Snap OS, a new operating system designed for AR interactions, Spectacles enable users to experience Lenses and share real-world experiences with friends in new ways.
Spectacles Developer Program
Snap also launched a Spectacles Developer Program, inviting developers to create AR experiences for the new glasses. The program offers access to Spectacles, developer tools, and support from Snap.
Key Features of Spectacles
See-through display: Enables users to see the real world while experiencing AR overlays.
Lightweight design: Weighing less than half the weight of a typical VR headset.
Four cameras: Power the Snap Spatial Engine and enable seamless hand tracking.
Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) micro-projectors: Create vivid and sharp images.
Advanced waveguides: Eliminate the need for lengthy calibrations or custom fittings.
Dual Snapdragon processors: Provide powerful performance and efficient power consumption.
45 minutes of continuous standalone runtime.
Partner Lenses for Spectacles
Several partners are already creating Lenses for Spectacles, including LEGO Group with an interactive AR game, ILM Immersive (Lucasfilm) with Star Wars experiences, Niantic with Peridot and Scaniverse, and Wabisabi Games with a new take on Capture the Flag.