Snapchat has inked a deal with Sony Music Entertainment (SME) to enable the use of artists' music within the Snapchat Sounds library. Snapchat's Lens feature is an AR experience that lets users add filters and captions on top of the user's video. AR has been around for a while and can be really cool if the user can find the right lens they are looking for.
AR or augmented reality works alongside the device's camera to place virtual objects in the real world. It blends the real world with virtual objects by using the device's camera and is an excellent option if the user is not looking to put on a headset and go the VR (virtual reality) route. While the experience isn't always the greatest, AR is great on newer devices, especially those with a LiDAR sensor or multiple cameras to capture depth.
Snapchat announced today that any artist that has signed with Sony Music Entertainment would have their music available to users using Snap's AR Lenses feature. The music will be accessible within the Sounds Library. Snap will also be rolling out a new feature soon that features Sound Lenses with pre-selected songs. This will make it seem like the users are actually singing along to the song. In addition, Cameo Sound Lenses will apply visual effects to put the user into an animated music video.
The AR Future?
It's good that Snapchat is adding new features. According to the company, it has over 200 million users using AR features on its app. Snapchat is primarily a camera-heavy social media platform, so it makes sense that it has a ton of users using AR features. Today's news makes that AR experience that much sweeter.
As time goes on, it'll be interesting to see whether AR or VR takes off in any meaningful way. Both offer a unique set of features and experiences for the user, but neither have anything that's 'groundbreaking.' Traditionally, VR has been used for gaming and more entertainment-centric experiences, while AR has been focusing on bringing virtual items into the real world. Neither are ideal as VR requires the user to wear a headset for it to work, and AR, in its current state, typically requires a device such as a smartphone or a tablet.
Of course, Meta recently announced its Metaverse, a mixed reality implementation that uses a mixture of both AR and VR. Although, the Metaverse is at least a few years away. The miniaturization of tech isn't entirely there yet to get mixed reality into something that could be worn. The biggest issue is miniaturizing tech while simultaneously ensuring battery life is excellent. The last thing the user wants is a pair of glasses that they need to charge every four hours.
Source: Snapchat
