Snap India takes the spotlight as a global AR leader at AR Day

India’s AR Developer community has grown by over 50% in two years, now home to the highest number of AR lenses globally.

At the second annual India AR Day event in Mumbai, Snap Inc. showed how Augmented Reality (AR) is changing the way we experience technology. The event highlighted Snap's push for innovation in AR and its growing impact on India’s developer community.

Bobby Murphy, CTO of Snap Inc., talked about how the company is helping people get creative with AR. “Our goal with Snap AR is to create a platform that sparks creativity. We give creators new tools to make experiences that people can enjoy all around the world. India is leading the way in this, with the highest number of AR lenses on Snapchat. The developer community here has grown by over 50% in just two years. In India, AR is more than just entertainment – it’s a part of everyday life, and it’s a way to express culture,” he said.

Pulkit Trivedi, MD for Snap Inc. in India, added, “India has an amazing community of creators who are shaping the future of AR. With over 200 million Snapchat users here, AR is a huge part of how people connect, share, and have fun. We’re excited to keep supporting this growing community. In fact, Snapchatters are engaging with AR lenses over 80 billion times a month, showing how powerful creative expression can be.”

Also Read: Snapchat introduces new, unified monetization program for creators

Snap’s Fifth-Generation Spectacles and AR Innovation

At the event, Snap introduced its latest AR technology – the fifth-generation Spectacles, which were available for the first time in India. These new AR glasses are lightweight, stylish, and let you experience AR in a more natural way. With Snap OS, a new operating system made specifically for AR, Spectacles allow you to interact with augmented reality using only your voice and hands, making them a unique product on the market.

Empowering a New Generation of AR Creators

India’s AR creator community is booming. Over 375,000 creators worldwide have made more than 4 million AR lenses, which have been used over 4.5 trillion times in the past year. What's especially exciting is that India’s AR developers are coming from all over the country, from cities like Goraya and Cochin to smaller towns like Ambala and Prayagraj.

Snap is committed to spreading AR adoption to all corners of India, including smaller cities. Through programs like Lens Studio training in cities like Surat and Trichy, Snap is helping aspiring creators build their first AR lenses. In 2024 alone, Snap hosted over 120 meetups, reaching more than 6,000 AR developers. Snap is also partnering with educational institutions like K.J. Somaiya and Pearl Academy to help students gain the digital skills needed to thrive in the world of AR and mixed reality.

Celebrating Innovation with the India Lens Awards

To celebrate the creative minds behind AR, Snap launched the India Lens Awards, which honors the best AR lenses across five categories. The winners include Pratyush Gupta for the "Best Viral Lens," Krunal MB Gediya for "Best Game," XRFX Studio for "Best Artistic Lens," Wasim Ghole for "Best Technical Lens," and Jeetesh Singh for "Best Festive Lens."

AR in Brand Campaigns

Snap is also leading the way when it comes to using AR in advertising. Brands are using AR to create memorable moments and connect with customers in innovative ways. For example, creators like Persica Picardo, co-founder of XRFX Studio, have been able to grow their careers by creating AR experiences for brands like Coca-Cola, Google, and Nykaa. Persica’s journey shows how AR is opening up new business opportunities and transforming brand engagement. Snap’s partnerships with major brands like Nykaa, Myntra, Amazon Prime Video, and Swiggy are also helping creators build sustainable careers and make a living from their work.

India AR Day was a celebration of Snap’s vision for India’s AR future – a place where creators, developers, and brands can thrive and push the boundaries of what’s possible. It’s a future where India’s creativity takes center stage, powered by AR’s endless potential.

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