Snap announced on Thursday that it’s introducing a new “Challenge Tags” rewards program for AR developers to win cash prizes for submitting Lenses. The company also announced that it’s launching educational pricing and a student discount for Spectacles, its developer-focused AR glasses.
The theme of the first Challenge Tag is humor and is open through January 31. The developer of the first place Lens will win $2,500, while second and third place will get $1,500 and $1,000, respectively. Twenty honorable mentions will get $250.
To participate, developers need to register for each challenge, build a Lens in Snap’s Lens Studio, and apply the Challenge Tag in the publishing process to be considered. Snap will announce new challenges each month.
Lenses submitted for a prize will be judged on their originality, technical excellence, and theme focus. AR developers from more than 100 countries worldwide can participate, thanks to Snap’s new partnership with AR marketing platform Lenslist.
As for the new educational pricing and student discount for Spectacles, students, teachers, and staff from colleges and universities will be able to access a pair for a subscription fee of $49.50 or €55 a month. The standard subscription fee is $99 per month.
The educational pricing and student discount are accessible in all countries where Spectacles is available, which includes the US, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, and the Netherlands. Any student or teacher enrolled or working at an accredited educational institution in these markets is eligible.
Snap is largely considered a leader in AR and is the company that popularized the use of AR filters and lenses through its platform. Since Snap is an early adopter of AR, the company has continued to invest in the space over the years.
With these new changes, …