In celebration of Holi 2024, Snapchat has introduced an innovative ‘AR Pichkari’ lens. This feature, designed to enhance the user experience during the vibrant festival, was developed by Ronin Labs and enables users to douse their friends with virtual colors using their smartphone’s rear camera, effectively mimicking the experience of using a traditional pichkari, or water gun.
Available to all Snapchat users, the AR Pichkari lens can be easily located through the app’s search bar. Additionally, users can access the lens directly via this link.
To use the AR Pichkari lens, users can switch to the rear camera and aim it at their friends. The app utilizes augmented reality to detect the position of the person in the camera view, allowing users to virtually spray them with colors. The color stream reacts to the movement of the smartphone, enhancing the immersive experience.
The lens also features a color bar on the left side of the screen, indicating how much “color” is available. During the interaction, users will see the message “Holi Hai!” appear when the experience reaches its midpoint, adding to the festive spirit.
Snapchat’s AR Pichkari lens is already functional and will be accessible to a broader audience in the coming days leading up to Holi. Users can also access the lens by scanning the Snapcode displayed in the image above using the Snap camera on both iOS and Android devices, provided they have the app updated to the latest version.
