Snapchat releases its own Lens tool in Europe

Snap releases the tool to create your own Lens in Snapchat for a fee in Europe. The tool came online in the United States two weeks ago. Making your own lens is not for companies, but for private users.

A custom Lens can be used for a party or as a gift, according to Snapchat. It is possible to create the custom Lens from desktops and from mobile devices. For now, the function is only in the iOS version of Snapchat, the version for Android will follow at a later time. Snapchat doesn’t say when that will be.

The feature costs money. Depending on the size of the location where the Lens is available and how long the Lens must be online, the function costs from 6.99 euros each time. It is unknown what the maximum amount is for your own Lens.

Users can choose between a filter and an ar lens. A filter overlays an image, while a lens can place elements in the image or on a face. Then users can add and customize their own texts and emojis. After choosing the time and location, the price is displayed.

Snapchat released the feature in the United States two weeks ago. This feature for users is separate from Lens Studio, software that allows developers to develop their own Lens for Snapchat.

Snap has now announced that it will make Stories easier to find in a new update. The company is doing so in response to more than a million people who said they want the old interface back in a petition on Change.org. Snap announced the update in November. The opening page is still the camera. To the left of that is the page with posts from friends, to the right with those of companies and media. The friends’ posts page is dynamic and Snapchat tries to put contacts at the top who the user would like to send a snap to at the time. According to the company, it may take a while for the app to figure out which contacts should be at the top.