Here’s what Snap Inc. revealed at its first Partner Summit


Earlier today, Snap Inc. held its first-ever Partner Summit in California, where the Snapchat parent company announced a variety of new features and products for the popular app. Starting this year, Snap will be launching “App Stories”, in partnership with platforms including Tinder and Houseparty. Soon, users will be able to link their Tinder and Houseparty accounts to their Snapchat profile and share their stories on the third-party apps.

Snap also unveiled “Snap Games”, a gaming platform which will include both original and third-party content. Snap will be working with game developers like Game Closure, PikPok, Spry Fox, Zeptolab, and Zynga to bring its library of games to life.

So far, Snap has announced the launch of Bitmoji Party, Alphabear Hustle, C.A.T.S. (Crash Arena Turbo Stars) Drift Race, Snake Squad, Tiny Royale, and Zombie Rescue Squad. Although Snap Games will be free, users will be required to watch Snap’s non-skippable, six second commercials.

One of Snapchat’s most loved (and used) feature is Lenses, which uses augmented reality to implement new graphics and special effects into a picture. Now, Snap is adding more options Lens Studio, the free, publicly available desktop app that lets anyone create a Lens. These new options include templates for hand tracking, body tracking, and pet tracking.

Snap is also launching “Landmarker”, which allows creators to design custom Lenses for five locations around the world: Buckingham Palace (London), United States Capitol Building (Washington, D.C.), Eiffel Tower (Paris), Flatiron Building (New York City), and the TLC Chinese Theater (Los Angeles), with more to follow. When snapchatters go to any one of these locations, they’ll be able to access the new Landmarker Lenses.

Perhaps the most anticipated reveal of the day were the new additions to Snap Originals, the app’s original video and content platform. The new shows are available on Snapchat’s Discovery page and will begin rolling out in May. Production partners include Bunim/Murray Productions, Dakota Pictures, New Form, and Bazelevs, and more.

Shows included in todays announcement were: Two Sides, Commanders, Untitled BuzzFeed Daily Show, Sneakerheads, While Black, Can’t Talk Now, Compton Dreams, Denton’s Death Date, Stranded with Sam and Colby, and Dead of Night.

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