Snap launches Lens Studio, a Mac and Windows app that lets users build their own AR lenses
Casey Newton / The Verge :
Context & Ripple Effects
This launch is the opening move of what became Snap's full AR developer stack. In 2017, Lens Studio put desktop lens-building tools into anyone's hands on Mac and Windows, moving AR creation beyond Snap's in-house team.
First-order effects
- Creators and brands gain a direct way to build custom AR lenses for Snapchat without going through Snap's internal team, expanding the supply of lenses on the platform immediately.
Second-order effects
- A professional layer forms on top of the free tool: within a year Snap certifies third-party lens makers for branded work, and by 2022-2023 that pipeline carries commerce features like virtual try-on and buyable digital goods.
Third-order effects
- Snap's position shifts from consumer app company to AR platform operator — owning the creation tools, the certification market, and increasingly the backend and rendering infrastructure other builders depend on.
The trend: Consumer apps are becoming AR platforms by open-sourcing their creation tools first, then monetizing the developer ecosystem that grows on top.