The latest upgrade to Snapchat allows users to use both the front and back cameras simultaneously, which seems to be the company’s response to the successful BeReal app. Snapchat’s dual-camera feature, on the other hand, is compatible with a wide variety of filters and augmented reality effects, and more are on the way. I experimented throughout the weekend with the new functionality that will go live on Monday. It’s surprisingly beneficial.
We’ve been working toward twin camera apps that can take pictures at the same time for quite some time. While Apple’s ARKit just enabled support for mixing front and rear cameras in 2019, Filmic Pro added dual camera compatibility in 2020.
The icon for this function, depicting stacked cameras, may be found in the main camera menu. With a tap, you can choose between horizontal and vertical split-screen shooting, as well as picture-in-picture and a cutout mode that superimposes the selfie over the back camera. My favorite feature is the cutout mode, which replicates the look of the popular video-sharing app TikTok in real-time.
Even while Instagram added a dual camera mode this year, only Snapchat’s dual camera is compatible with all of the company’s augmented reality lenses. Until now, augmented reality lenses have been an afterthought, but Snapchat is planning to change that with the introduction of dual-camera lenses and by expanding its support for creator-made AR lenses.
A representative from Snapchat showed me several samples during a video call, and they look like a lot of fun and kind of weird. For example, you can project your own AR-filtered face onto your room’s sofa.
Snap claims that the twin camera capability was developed for Snap’s Creator Cam in Director Mode, but it has now been rolled out to the main Snapchat app, possibly in an effort to compete with the rapidly expanding field of video social applications, including TikTok.
The augmented reality features of Snapchat’s dual camera appear to be the most exciting and game-changing. While Snap’s dual-camera mode wasn’t initially developed with augmented reality glasses in mind, the combination of the two technologies may one day make it possible to take AR and reaction photographs, or something even stranger.
The dual camera feature is currently only available on iOS, and an iPhone XS or later is required to use it. In the coming months, Android compatibility is planned.
