Facebook is working hard to develop its presence in the augmented and virtual reality space.
During the social network’s opening keynote presentation, Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s CEO, took to the stage to discuss Oculus Go pre-orders launching, as well as the company’s next steps in augmented reality.
Facebook is bringing its AR camera platform to Instagram and launching a new feature the company calls AR Studio. The AR platform was first revealed back at F8 2017 and offers AR masks and animations in the style pioneered by Snapchat.
Through AR Studio, Facebook says, “creators will be able to design unique, interactive camera experiences, including face filters and world effects, for their followers on Instagram.”
Businesses will be able to utilize AR templates that open the Messenger camera, complete with pre-loaded filters and AR effects “tailored specifically to the brand and experience,” says Facebook.
Augmented reality development frameworks are becoming increasingly common in the mobile space. For example, Apple has ARKit, while Google continues to push is ARCore platform.
The main question surrounding Facebook’s AR initiative is whether or not the brands the social network has partnered with will be able to release features that amount to more than just a silly gimmick. Current brands signed up for the beta of Facebook’s new AR platform include Sephora, KIA, Nike and ASUS.
On the Instagram side of the spectrum, Facebook is extending its camera effects to allow developers to build their own face filters and world lenses for their followers. Launch partners currently include Kylie Jenner, NBA, Jiffpom, Liza Koshy, Baby Ariel, Ariana Grande, Vogue and BuzzFeed.
