In Brief
Snap has launched ray tracing technology for its AR Lens Studio, which enhances the realism of AR experiences by reflecting light on digital objects.
The company has collaborated with Tiffany & Co. to release the first Lens that uses ray tracing, enabling users to try on Tiffany Lock bracelets in AR and purchase them directly from the app.
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Snap has announced adding ray tracing technology to its AR Lens Studio, which is now available for developers worldwide. The technology enables the creation of highly realistic renderings of light and reflections on AR objects.
To showcase this feature, Snap has collaborated with Tiffany & Co. to release the first Lens that uses ray tracing. This Lens allows users to try on Tiffany Lock bracelets in AR and purchase them directly from the app. Snap has emphasized being the first company to provide ray tracing capabilities at this level on mobile devices, which are typically only found in offline applications such as console games. Many modern games use ray tracing in their graphics, so the technology is already familiar to gamers.
Ray tracing is a technology that imitates how light behaves in the real world. It works by tracing the path that light takes, making virtual light rays look like they’re bouncing off digital objects, and creating genuine reflections.
“Snapchatters love using augmented reality to try on products from beloved fashion brands, making the shopping experience personal, accessible, and fun. Now, Lenses that feature AR diamond jewelry, clothing and so much more can reach ultra-realistic quality,”
the company wrote.
In its recent financial report, Snap announced that its augmented reality platform hosted more than 3 million AR Lenses developed by over 300,000 AR creators. Although specific sales figures for shopping apps weren’t disclosed, Snap did confirm that millions of users have used augmented reality to virtually try on products from its partner brands. For instance, the report said that “Luxottica Sunglass Hut drove over 14 million try-ons through Catalog-powered Shopping Lenses.”
In the past month, Chipotle partnered with Snap to offer fitness-inspired AR Lens, and Snap joined forces with Louis Vuitton to create a storytelling AR experience featuring the renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s famous dots.
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