Snapchat launches reward program for AR creators, discounts Spectacles

Snap is trying to incentivize developers to produce more content for Snapchat. The social network company has just revealed a new reward program for Snap AR developers called Challenge Tags.

Unlike other similar programs, Challenge Tags offers developers the chance to win cash prizes for submitting Lenses using active Challenge Tags. These Lenses are judged on their originality, technical excellence, and theme focus, Snap explains in a blog post.

To make the reward program as fair as possible, Snap has teamed up with the AR marketing platform Lenslist, which makes it possible for AR developers from more than 100 countries worldwide to participate in the program.

AR developers can register for each challenge, build a Lens using Snap’s AR authoring tool Lens Studio, and then apply the Challenge Tag in the Lens publishing process to be considered. Snap will be announcing new challenges each month with a chance to win a share of the total prize amount.



Speaking of prizes, Snap offers a $10,000 prize pool for the first Challenge Tag, which is open through January 31. The first, second and third places will be rewarded $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 respectively, while twenty honorable mentions will take home $250. The winners will be revealed on February 14.

Besides kicking off its new reward program, Snap also announced new educational pricing and special student discount for Spectacles. Starting today, Snap offers new educational pricing and a special discount for a subscription fee of $49.50 or €55 a month.

The new educational pricing and student discount is accessible in all countries Spectacles is available, which includes the United States, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, and the Netherlands. Snap also mentions that any student or teacher enrolled or working at an accredited educational institution in these countries is eligible.