Snap is all about the camera

Future. Snap announced a bevy of new camera-focused features and products at its annual Partner Summit, including a drone that can up your selfie game and a new AR-powered shopping mall. Considering how integrated Snap’s software and hardware offerings are becoming, it’s only a matter of time before the Snapchat app is just a central hub for interacting with the world through Snap-branded cameras… using only your mind.

Selfies take flight
Snap is trying to make sure you believe its claim that it’s a camera company.

• The Verge reports that Snap is releasing a small, lightweight drone called the Pixy in the U.S. and France for $230 that can capture 100 videos or 1,000 photos on its 16GB storage drive.
• The Pixy can take off from the user’s hand, fly six pre-programmed flight patterns to capture video of the user, and then automatically land right back in their hands — tracking the user as they move.
• The footage then immediately syncs to the user’s Memories section on the Snapchat app, where it can be synced with songs, edited with AR effects, and cropped to a vertical view so it can be uploaded.

The drone’s battery can last five to eight 10-20 second flights. Additional batteries cost $20.

Power of the lens
But Snap wasn’t satisfied with just announcing the Pixy drone…

• It’s also partnering with Live Nation to launch unique AR experiences at concerts and festivals, including Lollapalooza in Chicago, Rolling Loud in Miami, and EDC in Las Vegas.
• It’s rolling out an AR feature called “Dress Up,” which lets users select items from an in-app catalog, virtually try them on, and then share the look with friends.

Additionally, Snap is debuting a new “Director Mode” on the Snapchat app to make video creation easier for users. The feature will allow users to record videos using both the front and back cameras simultaneously… an idea hitting the mainstream thanks to the exploding success of the social app BeReal.