Snap has just announced a series of new features, including its new fifth-generation Spectacles glasses, new AI-centric capabilities, a redesign of its flagship app, and new possibilities for content creators.
The new augmented reality Spectacles, which run on Snap OS, weigh just 226 grams and are equipped with two infrared sensors to track hand movements. The new optical engine has been designed from the ground up to display augmented reality-like information on the lenses.
Snap boasts the clarity and sharpness of the images displayed, thanks to the use of LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) technology in the four projectors (waveguiding), distributed in pairs on each arm. The latency of displaying content is said to be only 13 ms and the projection frequency is 120 Hz. The field of vision is not huge, with 46° diagonally (compared to 26.3 in the previous version), while the resolution is 37 pixels per degree. Interestingly, the lenses can be tinted so that the content is always clearly visible.
The uses remain to be invented
These fifth-generation Spectacles feature two Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs, of unknown reference. They are there to share the load of calculations and sensor processing. For their cooling, Snap uses titanium vapor chambers. All this equipment, linked to the low weight of the glasses, leaves little room for the battery: the autonomy is a maximum of only 45 minutes. They recharge via a USB-C cable and can be used continuously when plugged in.
The glasses are not intended to be sold commercially to the general public. They are available only to developers, and only with a $99 per month Lens Studio subscription.
At The Verge, our colleagues did not seem convinced by the use, even if the improvement in image quality is significant since the previous generation. They wonder to what extent developers could invest in the creation of use cases since there is not really a market. Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, however, believes that this type of glasses will not really become a market until the end of the decade.
The glasses are compatible with all smartphones, as long as they have at least Android 12 or iOS 16.
Lens Studio 5.0 Gets New AI-Powered Features
Since the new glasses are only available to developers and creators who subscribe to Lens Studio, what does the new version 5.0 of the latter offer? AI, more AI, always AI.
Easy Lens is the best example of this. The tool allows you to generate new lenses by simply describing them with a prompt. According to Snap, it is designed to allow anyone to get started in lens creation, regardless of their level. The process has also been designed for prototyping and experimentation. The tool has been available in beta since yesterday evening.
New tools are also appearing in the GenAI Suite. This is designed to simplify the work related to data training. Snap introduces an animation library, in which you can choose from several hundred movements, which you can assemble.
Other tools include Body Morph, which generates 3D people, costumes or outfits from text or an image (so again prompt).
A new interface for Snapchat
The star app is about to receive a vast simplification of its interface. The biggest change is a move from five tabs to just three.
The new interface thus presents a tab for messages and Stories with friends, one for the camera (and its famous filters, the lenses) and a “For You” tab. The latter concentrates full-screen videos from editors and creators. The Snap Map is moved to the first tab and Spotlight to For You. The camera remains the default view when opening the application.
Unsurprisingly, the goal of this redesign is to simplify the use of Snapchat. This new design, also called “Simple Snapchat”, could erase Snapchat’s reputation as a complex application to use, both in the distribution of information and the general handling of the interface.
There’s another goal, though. Most of Snap’s financial revenue comes from advertising that accompanies content generated by publishers and creators. The new “For You” tab, which brings them all together, is also designed to better highlight this content and encourage users to spend more time there.
With Snap having faced overwhelming backlash over previous redesigns, the new design will be rolled out very slowly. The company wants to make sure that feedback is taken into account before rolling out its new interface more widely.
New AI features for Snapchat+ subscribers
The paid Snapchat+ subscription was launched last year. Available at €4.49 per month (€24.99 for 6 months or €45.99 per year), it unlocks various extras, such as specific profile badges, the ability to pin a profile as Best Friend, additional content for Bitmojis, additional features for Stories (statistics, sending personalized emoji, etc.), customization of notifications and discussions, etc.
Snap also uses it to present its new features in advance, including everything related to AI. The offer will therefore be strengthened with several new functions, including My Selfie. It allows you to use the selfies of a subscriber to generate images in “creative poses”. Friends can also be present, provided that they are also subscribers.
In Memories (which can store previously taken photos and videos), AI can also automatically generate captions to accompany the content. In addition, new augmented reality-type filters can be applied.
The MyAI assistant, powered by ChatGPT, also gets a little boost. Snap presents it as better able to answer everyday problems. For example, it can translate text on a photo, such as a restaurant menu, identify plants, understand parking signs, etc. A direct competitor to Google Lens, in short.
Community development and young user profiles
All accounts for users aged 16 and 17 now have the highest security settings by default. A new profile design is being implemented to simplify the transition from a personal account to a public account. If they want to connect with their real friends, that’s personal. And if they choose to reach a wider audience, that’s public. “, summarizes Snap.
The public profile can now be customized, for example by pinning Snaps to the top. The templates also allow you to quickly publish content from photos and videos already taken. The idea, according to Snap, is to be able to enjoy your vacation and publish a summary afterwards. These templates are accompanied by music from ” of leading and emerging artists “.
Other new features targeting content creators include Replies and Quotes. This allows a person to respond directly to a content creator’s Snap or comment publicly on it. This response or message can then be transformed into a photo or video response.
