Apart from maintaining streaks and connecting with their fellow snapchatters daily, users have been on a spree to explore different creator-led AR lenses that transform them into a distinct universe. In a bid to revive a year of creativity, communication, and discovery, Snapchat has unveiled the first-ever ‘Lens of the Year‘, an annual celebration of the Lenses that revolutionized the way Snapchatters created, explored, learned, and played in 2021.

These 50 Lenses — made by Snap and AR creators like Amélie Tremblay, Lauren Cason — offer a unique window into the year’s cultural moments, achievements in AR innovation, and trends that had a lasting impact. 

“We’re amazed by the creativity and technical prowess of our community that has supercharged Snapchatter’s appetite for augmented reality. This year, we’ve continued to see Lens Creators, as well as our team here at Snap, build Lenses that not only help Snapchatters better express themselves but help them learn about the world around them and solve problems in their daily lives,” says Sophia Dominguez, Snap’s head of AR platform partnerships.

From shopping and music to social good and AR innovation, the Snapchat offical blog presets snapshot of the list:

Cutting Edge Tech: Pushing the boundaries of AR — everyday

Over the years, Snapchat claims to have taken some of the most innovative technologies and applied them to AR. Concepts that many consider futuristic are actually being used by millions of Snapchatters each day, built by it’s thriving community of AR experts. 

The Future of Shopping is Here: Because AR is the new dressing room

AR is the future of shopping — it can help visualize not just how a pair of sunglasses looks, but how it looks on the users. Going beyond today’s online 2D shopping experience, AR makes trying on clothes completely custom. From Prada to MAC Cosmetics, there are so many ways to express your style and get your hands on the most covetable items of the year. 

What’s Poppin’: You couldn’t have missed it

With over 500 million monthly active users, Lenses offer a unique window into the year’s cultural moments and trends. This viral list — featuring everyone’s favorite ‘Little Bernie’ all the way to Squid Game — is a glimpse into the memes, content, and characters that took the world by storm in 2021.

Also Read: Whatsapp to allow users to preview voice messages

Do Good: Lenses with you — and the world — in mind

The Snapchat Generation cares about the world around them, and Lenses are a way to engage with the issues that are important to them and their friends. From helping Snapchatters see themselves as the next generation of leaders to expanding awareness around climate change and the dangers of fentanyl, the Camera played an important role in driving social change. 

Turn Up The Volume: Say it with a Sound

Sounds on Snapchat have been a hit, with more than 1.2 billion video Snaps created and 77 billion views since the feature launched last year. Snapchat aims to change the way its community listens to and discovers new music, enabling real friends to recommend and share music and create entertaining video content together. From J Balvin and Olivia Rodrigo, to emerging artists like Julia Wolf, there was no shortage of hits.

Please read the full report here: