Snapchat has been taking leaps and bounds toward becoming a serious tech force. They’ve already turned their new Spectacles into a massive hit, due in part to an innovative marketing and rollout campaign, and they’ve proven dangerous enough for apps like Instagram to borrow from its features.
Now, after paying around $40 million to acquire Cimagine, an augmented reality startup focused on immersive e-commerce, it appears Snapchat is refusing to sit idle. With a reported 100 million users every day, including 41% of the U.S. population between 18-34 years-old, the company is in a remarkable position to bring augmented reality to the masses.
Sure, Pokémon GO was a huge success turned crash-and-burn, but it did give many a first glimpse at what augmented reality is all about. However, instead of superimposing imaginary characters onto your world, Cimagine’s technology imposes products into your space for you to explore from whatever angle you see fit, and more importantly, see how the product will look once you take it home. It’s an incredible idea for furniture buying, and we can’t even begin to predict the vast range of possibilities offered.
Snapchat already offers geo-filters and infamous flower crowns, puppy faces, and other fun filters, but Cimagine will allow the messaging service to lock virtual objects in a 3D space. Get ready for virtual characters, products, and more to take over your snaps.