Rakuten Viber partners with Snap
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Photo: Collected
One of the global leaders in cross-platform messaging and voice-based communication, Rakuten Viber, will bring augmented reality lenses to its application through a partnership with Snap Inc for its users.
To cater to the growing number of users in Bangladesh, Viber will also be launching its new lens features in the country soon, said a press release recently.
An augmented reality solution captures a part of the environment using a camera on a smartphone, tablet, or head-mounted display. Then it scans the captured piece of the environment to identify a point where to overlay additional information using markers or trackers like infrared, laser, GPS, or sensors.
The Instant Augmented Reality feature allows users to add overlay images on top of surroundings and harness the power of augmented reality at their fingertips. Viber users can now select from various masks that accurately follow users’ facial movements through the Expressive Masks feature.
Using Snap’s developer tools, including Camera Kit, Creative Kit, and Bitmoji, the Viber app will integrate AR Lenses, enable sharing to Snapchat, and bring customisable Bitmoji avatars to Viber.
Viber Lenses Powered by Snap will offer AR-enabled video messaging and photos to Viber users for the first time. The launch includes 30 new Viber Lenses, including animal masks and Viber Characters, an underwater Lens, silly cat interactions, and more.
The company plans to add between 50-70 additional Lenses per month, amounting to at least 300 Lenses by the end of 2021. Businesses will also have the opportunity to create their own exclusive Lenses on Viber, the release added.
The World Wildlife Fund, FC Barcelona, and the World Health Organization are among the first Viber partners to offer new Lenses on the messaging app. The customised Lenses will boost engagement between users and the brands they love on the Viber platform.
Viber is a calling and messaging app that connects people and allows them to express themselves creatively – no matter who or where they are located. Personal and group chats on Viber are end-to-end encrypted (E2EE), so users can be sure that their communications are always private and secure.
Apart from these, the new range of features includes Attention-Grabbing Filters that add a creative layer to your visuals and spark conversations with friends. Users can also use the Customized Bitmoji feature to integrate personalised Bitmoji characters into photos and videos.
Moreover, the ability to offer sponsored and branded lenses will provide an additional revenue stream to Viber, as business partners will be able to create custom Lenses for their communities on the platform, said the release.
