Snap SNAP 0.00%↑ announced this week that it’s integrating GPS/GNSS capability for its Spectacles-focused Lenses to improve location-based experiences for developers and users.
While it’s only been about six months since the company released the fifth generation of AR Spectacles, new hand-tracking capabilities, compass heading, and custom locations will allow developers to integrate geo-location data for a variety of applications, the company said.
The company said that NavigatAR Lens from Utopia Labs is an example that shows how GPS, Snap Map Tiles and compass heading can be used to help users navigate from one point to another. Another example the company gave is Path Pioneer, which Lens “provides building blocks for creating indoor and outdoor AR walking courses that keep you active.”
The hand hand-tracking capabilities include a phone detector to identify when a user has a phone in their hands. Another is a grab gesture and one that makes refinements to targeting intent to reduce false positives while typing, the company said.
Spectacles are available through the company’s $99 per month developer program. The company also announced a series of challenges, starting April 1, that gives $20,000 to developers who create the best Lenses each month.
