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It was revealed last week that Snap acquired augmented reality (AR) and location-based messaging intellectual property (IP) from Drop in 2015, according to TechCrunch.
Drop had used the IP to power an app that enabled users to post photos or texts to a specific location or landmark and leave it for friends and followers to view when they were nearby. The news follows last month's launch of Snap Maps, which lets users pull up a map that shows where Stories are being posted locally and around the world. By utilizing Drop's IP, Snapchat could further augment its Maps feature, allowing its users to discover location-based messages with the Snap Map or Snapchat's AR lenses. Here’s how:
- It could augment Snap’s geolocation efforts. Drop’s technology lets users geofence their messages for friends and followers by using their GRP to create virtual boundaries around a location. This could motivate users to use their smartphones to check for any interactive and engaging hidden content in nearby locations through Snap Maps. For example, users can create a Snap video at an airport and leave it for a friend to see when they land.
- Paves the way for geolocation AR services. The next iteration of Snapchat’s Spectacles is rumored to be AR-enabled. The wearables could leverage geolocation data to provide users with information about their surroundings, such as whether their friends have posted Stories nearby, or a brand’s video that features a deal at a nearby location.
- Shores up against the threat of Facebook and Instagram. Drop’s tech IT can help Snapchat to better compete against the ever-present threats of rivals Facebook and Instagram, which are also exploring location-based features in AR. In April, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated how users could leave AR messages and pictures at specific locations that other users could see.
As the line between the digital and physical worlds becomes increasingly blurry, location-based services could be Snap’s best bet. Nearly all the company’s features have been copied by Facebook and its products. However, given that Snapchat users are already comfortable using location to add Geofilters to their content, Snap could have an advantage when it comes to consumers trusting apps with their location data. This could be a boon for marketers, who can use location data to better target users with notifications and contextual advertising. In the US, location-targeted mobile ad spend is projected to reach $16 billion in 2017 and grow at an annualized rate of 19% to reach $32 billion by 2021.
Laurie Beaver, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on the battle for the smartphone camera that:
- Describes how smartphone cameras are being leveraged by chat apps.
- Explains the how brands and businesses can take advantage of cameras on messaging apps.
- Highlights the differences between certain messaging apps and their strengths and weaknesses.
- Looks at the potential barriers that could limit the adoption and use of chat apps’ cameras.
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