AS we’ve mostly stayed indoors for the past months since the pandemic, communication apps — chats, voice records, and video calls — were essential tools for work and business, as well as catching up with family and friends. 

To make its app more fun to use, Rakuten Viber has introduced a new feature to chats: the Viber Lens. It teamed up with Snap, Inc., the creator of Snapchat, to bring augmented reality (AR) to its in-app camera.

“Snapchat has positioned itself as the top camera service with insane technology in terms of AR,” Rakuten Viber Vice-President for Product Development Nadav Melnick said in an online press conference on Sept. 7 via Zoom. “Whenever you look at the technology that Snapchat is offering, we will have it together with them.”

“This is enabling us to concentrate on stuff like content and tie all the loose ends between different products that are in our core,” Mr. Melnick added, noting how regular developments in the app affect group chats and calls. “This gives us a really good platform to evolve the lenses into a day-to-day communication tool.”

“By implementing this technology, Viber Lens helps empower our user’s creativity in making simple communication more entertaining and vivid. It gives them more freedom on how they relay their thoughts and feelings to whoever they’re talking to, all while having a little fun,” Rakuten Viber Senior Director for APAC David Tse said in a statement.

“With this partnership with Snap’s most advanced AR capabilities, we’re excited to usher in a new way of messaging while keeping true to our commitment to high security standards for all messages, video, and images sent over the app,” Mr. Tse added. 

The first batch of filters consists of 30 designs of animal masks, fantasy effects, Bitmoji avatars, and Viber characters.

To activate Viber Lens, launch the app’s camera within a chat and pick a filter. Take a photo or a clip and hit send.

“We are seeing a huge trend of people using videos and photos on our app,” Mr. Melnick said. “When we look at camera, [Viber] Lens is the first step in the evolution of how people communicate. Viber started as a voice app and transformed into a messaging app, but we are transforming and adding more abilities to our cameras.” 

“One would be very comfortable [communicate] with voice, one with doing it with only chat. But the majority of our users use different type of expressive media to express themselves,” he added. 

Rakuten Viber is also planning to add at least 20 new lenses each month. The communication app is also working with companies like Globe Telecom, Inc. and with Filipino artists like Leeroy New, Anina Rubio, and Jappy Agoncillo to create exclusive Viber Lenses for its users in the Philippines.

Mr. Melnick said in the future, Rakuten Viber also plans to also develop games, and improving the app with features for organizational communication and businesses.

Viber Lens is now available in the Philippines for iOS (Viber version 15.5.5 and up) and Android (Viber version 15.8.0.15 and up). Local lenses are available starting Viber version 16.0 and above. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

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