On Thursday, Snap Inc., the parent company of the popular photo messaging app Snapchat, unveiled a new division aimed at assisting businesses in developing augmented reality (AR) capabilities for their websites and applications.
The newly established AR Enterprise Services (ARES) represents Snap’s first foray into marketing its AR technology to business clients. This technology allows for the enhancement of real-world images and videos with computer-generated elements, according to Jill Popelka, the head of ARES, in a recent interview.
Snap has increasingly focused on evolving the AR landscape in recent years, claiming that over 250 million users interact with AR content on Snapchat daily. The app gained traction among younger demographics due to its fun image filters, including features like bunny ears.
“Many businesses have attempted to implement AR outside of their platforms, but we’ve demonstrated our capabilities within our app,” Popelka stated. “Now, we’re offering a genuinely commercial-grade solution.”
This new venture into the enterprise market aligns with Snap’s goal of diversifying its income streams beyond the digital advertising sector, which currently makes up a significant portion of its revenue.
ARES’s inaugural product, named Shopping Suite, will furnish businesses with tools that allow customers to virtually try on clothing or examine products in 3D from various angles, potentially boosting sales and minimizing return rates.
Popelka mentioned that the pricing structure for business clients will be quite flexible. Some agreements might enable Snap to receive a share of sales generated through its AR solutions.
Artificial intelligence is playing a pivotal role in enhancing Snap’s AR functionalities. The company is leveraging AI to transform two-dimensional images into three-dimensional representations without needing an initial 3D model. This advancement has significantly reduced the time required to create high-quality 3D imagery, cutting the process down from 40 to 60 hours to just a few hours, according to Popelka.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
