Snap pushes into augmented reality shopping, unveils flying camera – The Hindu

Snap Inc will roll out new
features to make it easier for brands to create augmented
reality shopping experiences on its Snapchat app as well as a
flying camera, the company said on Thursday at its annual
presentation to showcase new technology.

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The Santa Monica, California-based company announced the
pocket-sized camera called Pixy, which can fly a few feet above
its owner to take photos and videos before landing in the palm
of the hand, in a renewed push to grow its hardware business.
Pixy will cost $230 and will be sold in the United States and
France, Snap said.

The theme for Snap’s Partner Summit was “Back to Reality,”
reflecting the company’s focus over the past few years on
augmented reality (AR), a type of technology that enhances
photos, videos or the experience of the real world with
computerised images.

“We believe there’s a tremendous amount of opportunity to
build tools … that are connected to what we see in front of
us,” Snap co-founder and CTO Bobby Murphy, said in an interview.

Snap will begin offering a variety of free services for AR
developers including data storage. Until now, photo filters and
lenses have had to be simple and compact in file size so they
could upload on the app quickly. With more storage, developers
will be able to create more complex AR experiences, Murphy said.

For example, an augmented reality garden would be able to
include 3D models of more flowers and plants, he said.

Snap will also roll out a new feature called “Dress Up” on
Snapchat in which users can browse AR shopping filters that let
them virtually try on clothing and accessories.

Snapchat now has more than 600 million monthly users
globally, up from 500 million last year.