At SXSW, Snapchat Lenses bring ‘Game of Thrones,’ Pikachu to life
Snapchat is relying on its augmented reality to separate the company from rivals like Facebook, Google and Apple. Snapchat was one of the first to popularize augmented reality with its Lenses, which are digital animations that transform videos.
“Snapchat is still top of the game when it comes to AR,” says Noah Mallin, head of experience, content and sponsorships at Wavemaker, a WPP agency. “They want to help brands understand that here is something they do really well.”
Snapchat is fighting for position among the digital giants, which so far have been able to copy most of its other innovations, like vertical videos and ephemeral messaging. Facebook, Google and Apple all have their own augmented reality platforms, too. “Apple’s next-generation iOS [phone software] is going to really crack AR open,” Mallin says.
