Snap Inc. showcased the transformative power of Augmented Reality (AR) at the second annual India AR Day event held in Mumbai, highlighting how the company is driving a future-forward vision for AR, fostering creativity, and building a thriving ecosystem, particularly within India’s dynamic developer landscape.

Bobby Murphy, CTO, Snap Inc., emphasized the company’s commitment to fostering creativity and self-expression through AR innovation in India. “Our mission with Snap AR is to be a platform for creativity. We develop new technology and tools to enable creators to build amazing experiences for millions of people to enjoy. Indian developers are at the forefront of innovation, bringing engaging and creative experiences to life. In fact, among all countries, the highest number of lenses published on Snapchat come from India. And the developer community here has grown by more than half, over the last two years. India is an extraordinary country where AR has become a part of daily life. It’s a country where the creative energy is electric, and AR is not just a tool for entertainment but a medium for cultural expression.”

Pulkit Trivedi, MD, India, Snap Inc., added “India is home to a thriving community of creators and developers who are shaping the future of AR. With over 200 million Snapchatters in India using the platform to visually express themselves, connect, and enjoy content, AR has become central to communication and creativity. We believe long-term success in AR relies on a strong developer ecosystem, and we remain deeply committed to fostering this vibrant community. Seeing Snapchatters engage with AR Lenses over 80 billion times a month is a testament to the power of creative expression, and we’re excited to continue supporting and celebrating this innovation.”

Experiencing AR Innovation Firsthand: Snap’s Fifth generation Spectacles 

The Mumbai event brought together India’s top AR creators, developers, brands, partners and the wider community. Attendees saw how creators, developers, and brands can use the technology to connect more deeply with their audiences and the interactive experiences showcased AR’s potential across various fields taking it from entertainment to utility. Snap’s “Any Body Can Develop” experience offered guests a hands-on opportunity to learn and create their own Lenses.

Spectacles, Snap’s fifth-generation see-through AR glasses, were available for demonstration for the first time in India. These standalone, see-through AR glasses powered by Snap OS enable you to interact with AR in a whole new way. Snap OS is a new kind of operating system purpose-built for AR that powers Spectacles and delivers a seamless engaging experience. Designed to carefully balance wearability and AR capability, Spectacles are untethered with see-through display and built-in dimmer for indoor and outdoor use, making them unique to the other hardware available in the market.  Snap OS is designed to seamlessly integrate into one’s life without taking you out of it. Its natural interface allows you to see and interact with augmented reality together with friends, and is controlled entirely by your voice and hands.

This newest version of Spectacles, and the launch of Snap OS, builds on Snap’s innovations across hardware and software, which the company has been pursuing for over a decade.

Empowering a New Generation of AR Creators

In India, where over 85% of Snapchatters use Lenses for connecting with friends and family, especially around key cultural moments and festivals, the focus on creative expression is undeniable.

Snap’s AR ecosystem is booming, as more than 375,000 creators worldwide have built over 4 million AR Lenses, which Snapchatters have engaged with more than 4.5 trillion times in just the last year. India’s AR developer community is remarkable with growth of the creator network coming not only from capital cities but also other towns including Goraya, Prayagraj, Cochin, Ambala, to name a few.

Snap is also deeply invested in expanding AR adoption across India, including in Tier 2 and 3 cities. Localized initiatives like Lens Studio training meet-ups in cities like Surat, Coimbatore, Rajkot, Trichy, Trivandrum and Gwalior  are empowering aspiring creators to build their first Lenses and start their AR journeys. Snap has hosted 120+ meetups in 2024, reaching over 6,000 AR Developers.

Snap team is also working with educational institutions to nurture young talent with vital creative digital skills and this year have partnered with K.J. Somaiya – Mumbai, Pearl Academy – Bangalore, Mumbai & Delhi, Loyola College – Chennai. These partnerships provide a unique opportunity to build the creative digital skills that are vital for advancing mixed reality and driving innovation in the evolving XR landscape.

To nurture this ecosystem, Snap also announced the launch of  the India Lens Awards, an annual competition to celebrate the most innovative AR Lens creators across five categories. The winners are Best Viral Lens : Perfect Pitch Game by Pratyush Gupta, Best Game : Diwali Game by Krunal MB Gediya, Best Artistic Lens : Ethereal Dress by XRFX Studio, Best Technical Lens : Domino Pro LIDAR by Wasim Ghole and Best Festive Lens : Rang De Mohey by Jeetesh Singh.

Brands leveraging AR 

Snap leads in sponsored AR, powering everything from viral moments to high-ROI engagement, while constantly pushing AR innovation.This growing network also benefits from Snap’s AR advertising tools, helping brands connect with audiences in innovative ways.

These initiatives are making a real difference for creators like Persica Picardo, co-founder of XRFX Studio. This enthusiastic lens developer discovered AR back in 2018. “When I began my journey, Snap’s Lens Studio provided me with tools to turn my passion into a profession. Its versatile features help me bring my ideas to life, collaborate with influential brands across beauty, fashion, and grow within Snap’s dynamic AR creator ecosystem. After honing my skills for almost 5 years, I co-founded XRFX Studio, which specializes in crafting custom AR effects for brands. In less than two years our team has expanded and today we build for brands like Coca-Cola, Google, Nykaa, Tira, Amazon Prime Video, Ajio, Max, Swiggy, Zepto, etc. We recently hit a $100,000 revenue milestone, a testament to how AR is transforming brand engagement and digital experiences. “

 Strategic initiatives and partnerships with top brands – Nykaa, Myntra, Doritos – Pepsi Co., Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar, Swiggy, Ajio, Spotify, Surf Excel,  – are creating  monetization opportunities, empowering creators to build sustainable careers.

India AR Day reflects Snap’s vision for India’s AR  future – an ecosystem where creators, developers, and brands flourish, driving  unprecedented engagement, innovation, and cultural expression. It’s a future where India’s creative spirit shines globally powered by AR’s boundless potential.