INSTAGRAM TO ROLL OUT AUGMENTED REALITY FUNCTION
INSTAGRAM users are to be able to create and publish their own bespoke augmented reality (AR) effects on the social network.
An update to the app will enable users to create their own virtual effects which can then be added to photos and videos posted to Instagram Stories.
Augmented reality is the overlay of animations and digital effects onto real images and video. Instagram said it will use Spark AR, the augmented reality platform from Facebook, which owns Instagram.
Similar Instagram-made effects and filters have previously been available in the app, but this update will allow users to build their own designs. The social media platform said users who create effects will also be able to share them with their followers, and designs created by accounts a user follows will automatically be added to their effects tray. Instagram said it was also introducing an Effects Gallery where users can browse and use any AR effects they like. “Whether you want to add a new layer of fun to an event like a wedding, birthday party, or graduation with a custom filter or you’re a professional who wants to continue to hone their craft, Spark AR Studio has everything you need to get started,” Instagram said. Augmented reality is becoming increasingly prominent – last week Google confirmed it was to more widely introduce augmented reality tools to its Maps app. The feature will see AR arrows appear on the real-world scene, as seen on your smartphone’s screen, to help guide users.