Snap Inc. is making significant strides in India’s Augmented Reality (AR) space, celebrating the country’s rapid growth as a hub for AR innovation. At the second annual India AR Day event in Mumbai, the company highlighted how India’s AR developer community has expanded by 50 percent over the last two years, producing more AR Lenses than any other country.
With over 200 million Snapchat users in India interacting with AR more than 80 billion times a month, Snap is committed to nurturing creators, introducing new AR tools, and pushing the boundaries of immersive technology. The event showcased everything from cutting-edge AR glasses to brand collaborations and developer training to support AR growth in smaller cities.
India’s growing AR ecosystem
India has become a major player in AR innovation, with developers and creators using the technology for entertainment and as a form of creative and cultural expression. Bobby Murphy, Snap Inc.’s CTO, emphasized that India has become a leading force in AR, with its creators actively shaping the future of immersive experiences. He highlighted that India now has the highest number of published AR Lenses on Snapchat, proving the country’s intense creative energy and enthusiasm for AR technology.
Snap’s India Managing Director, Pulkit Trivedi, noted that the platform has seen significant engagement in India, with AR becoming a key part of how people communicate and express themselves visually. He also pointed out that Snap’s long-term success in AR depends on fostering a strong developer community, adding that the company remains committed to supporting India’s creative talent.
To broaden access to AR development, Snap has organized over 120 Lens Studio meet-ups in 2024, training more than 6,000 AR developers across cities like Surat, Coimbatore, Rajkot, and Trivandrum. The company is also collaborating with universities like K.J. Somaiya (Mumbai), Pearl Academy (Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi), and Loyola College (Chennai) to equip students with the skills needed to thrive in AR development.
Snap’s 5th Gen AR glasses showcased
A significant highlight of India AR Day was the introduction of Snap’s fifth-generation Spectacles in India. These see-through AR glasses, powered by Snap OS, provide a new way to experience AR beyond smartphone screens. Unlike other smart glasses, they are untethered, feature a built-in dimmer for better indoor and outdoor use, and respond to voice and hand controls.
Snap describes Snap OS as an operating system designed specifically for AR, allowing users to engage with digital overlays in real-world environments. The company believes this technology will redefine how people interact with AR, making it more seamless and immersive.
Empowering AR creators and brands
Alongside individual creators, leading brands in India are adopting AR to make their campaigns more engaging and interactive. Companies such as Nykaa, Myntra, Doritos (PepsiCo), Amazon Prime Video, Swiggy, Ajio, and Spotify already use Snap’s AR tools to enhance their digital experiences.
To celebrate India’s AR talent, Snap launched the India Lens Awards, recognizing top creators across five categories:
- Best Viral Lens: Perfect Pitch Game by Pratyush Gupta
- Best Game Lens: Diwali Game by Krunal MB Gediya
- Best Artistic Lens: Ethereal Dress by XRFX Studio
- Best Technical Lens: Domino Pro LIDAR by Wasim Ghole
- Best Festive Lens: Rang De Mohey by Jeetesh Singh
The event also showcased inspiring success stories, including Persica Picardo, who started as an independent Lens developer in 2018 and later co-founded XRFX Studio. She explained how Snap’s Lens Studio helped her turn her passion into a profession, allowing her to work with top brands like Coca-Cola, Google, and Amazon Prime Video. She added that in just two years, her team has grown, and the company recently reached a $100,000 revenue milestone, proving that AR is creating real career opportunities for developers in India.
With Snap leading the way, India’s AR industry is evolving rapidly, offering new opportunities for creators, businesses, and consumers. As AR technology advances, India is well on its way to becoming a global powerhouse.
