Here’s How To Create Your Own Filters On Snapchat

Snap Inc. recently announced that users will now be able to make their own selfie filters by using the Lens Studio software available on the Snapchat app. Until now, this function was only available on the rear camera of the phone, and it was pretty big when it first came out (dancing hot dog anyone?) allowing users to create their own 2D and 3D augmented reality (AR) animations that could be shared and uploaded through the app. 

This new addition signals a big expansion for the Snap company. Mashable reports that there will be seven new templates on Lens Studio, giving users tons of more options when it comes to selfie filters. Aside from traditional and iconic filters, such as the flower crown and the dog face, users will now be able to access other creations developed by other users and artists.

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These lenses will be located on a new section of the Snapchat app called Discover, which you’ll be able to browse and access whenever the patch is made available. This is a smart idea, because the new lenses won’t crowd and mess with your app.  

These tech developments improve Snapchat’s already impressive AR repertoire, which is much more developed than it’s main competitor, Instagram.

Executives at Snap Inc. expect these developments to increase their audience’s long term engagement with Snapchat, something that has been notoriously dropping ever since Instagram launched their own version of filters and lenses.

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The development of Lens Studio software could also make Snapchat relevant for other types of users, including artists and designers who could share their work through the app and utilize it in different ways. It’s an interesting endeavor that could prove to be vital for the company’s growth and survival.