14 new landmarks and 6 AR templates make their way to the desktop app.
This week Snapchat further deepened its commitment to AR technology with the release of a new update for Lens Studio, the companies official desktop app for the creation of AR ‘Lenses,’ which adds fourteen new “Landmarks,” as well as six additional Lense templates.
Debuted back in April, Snapchat’s “Landmarkers” Lenses bring famous locations all around the world to life in AR. Previously, users could create and access AR filters for the US Capitol Building (Washington, D.C., United States), Flatiron Building (NYC, United States), TCL Chinese Theater (Los Angeles, United States), Buckingham Palace (London, England), and the Eiffel Tower (Paris, France).
With Lens Studios 2.1, users can now create AR Lenses for the Arc de Triomphe (Paris, France), Astronomical Clock (Prague, Czech Republic), Brandenburg Gate (Berlin, Germany), El Castillo (Chichen Itza, Mexico), Galata Tower (Istanbul, Turkey), Gateway of India (Mumbai, India), Leaning Tower of Pisa (Pisa, Italy), Natural History Museum (London, UK), Neues Rathaus (Munich, Germany), Qasr Al-Farid (Mada’in Saleh, Saudi Arabia), Great Sphinx of Giza (Giza, Egypt), Statue of Liberty (New York City, USA), Taj Mahal (Agra, India), and Tower Bridge (London, UK).
So far, creators have used Landmarkers to cover NYC’s Flatiron Building in an enormous pepperoni pizza, turn LA’s Chinese Theater into a junk food paradise, and bring Paris’ Eiffel Tower to life as a wiggling cartoon character who vomits rainbows. These newly-added locations open up a whole new world of possibilities for creators, who can now begin creating interactive AR experiences for some of humanities greatest architectural accomplishments. The Great Sphinx and the Statue of Liberty, in particular, are sure to be a hit with creators.
In addition to new compatible landmarks, update 2.1 brings with it new templates for a plethora of interactive lenses. Here’s a brief rundown of each template according to Snap Inc.:
- Countdown: Ready, set, customize! Create Lenses that count down to specific dates and add celebratory 3D hats and glasses.
- Face In Video: Track that pretty face onto a video!
- Hair Color: New hair who dis? Switch things up with fresh tones from root and tip!
- Make-up: Put your face on the easy way with AR lip gloss, blush, eyeshadow and more.
- Portrait Particles: Jazz things up with customized particles that segment behind the user’s head – Decorate with headers, footers, and post-effects.
- Skeletal: No bones about it, it’s here! Track 2D images to necks, shoulders, and elbows to create sweet joint collabs!
There are also several updates to the apps user-interface. This includes a series of interactive tours that break down the creation of each Lens in detail, as well as a regularly-updated list of tips and supplementary info which can now be found on the programs start screen. Lens Studio 2.1 is free to download now on PC and Mac over at ensstudio.snapchat.com.
Featured Image Credit: Snap Inc.
