Nowadays, augmented reality (AR) is getting a lot of focus among social media platforms. Digital overlays and tools are becoming popular. There are around 1.96 billion estimated AR mobile users in 2021. With such popularity, no wonder, AR will be a new strategy in marketing. To join the bandwagon, TikTok adds the LiDAR AR effect for iPhone 12 Pro users.
TikTok is a sharing app for short-form videos launched in 2016. It’s conceptualized by Zhang Yiming, a Chinese software engineer who founded ByteDance. In China, it was initially launched as “Douyin.” After a year, TikTok became the number 1 non-gaming iOS app in the United States. Today, the app has more than 1 billion daily active users in 150 countries.
To open 2021, TikTok adds the LiDAR AR effect for iPhone 12 Pro users. Such an innovative effect bridges the gap between the digital and physical world. In a tweet shared by @TikTokComms, a TikTok video sample shows digital glitters effects falling on the couch, floor, and guy inside the frame. When the guy walked out of the scene, the glitters fall from his head, then in place on the couch and floor.
LiDAR Is the acronym for “light detection and ranging.” The technology uses lasers to bounce digital objects to real-world elements in a camera frame. Such an AR effect was created by Garrett Fuselier, an AR/VR creator and graphics engineer. LiDAR facilitates expanded depth-mapping by measuring the time it takes light to reach and reflect on an object.
TikTok adds the LiDAR AR effect for iPhone 12 Pro users as of 07 January 2021 and will be globally available soon.
Implications for Marketers:
As TikTok adds the LiDAR AR effect for iPhone 12 Pro users, other TikTok subscribers using android phones are awaiting its global launching. For marketers, it’s worth trying out such technology. TikTok has been gaining a lot of momentum since its launch. This app can be a new option for brands to increase discovery and engagement. It’s also worth considering to learn more about LiDAR AR effects through Facebook and Instagram’s Spark AR Studio or Snapchat’s Lens Studio as both use similar technology.