Snap Partners with Moj for Camera Kit Rollout

Snap and ShareChat’s Moj Announce Camera Kit Integration

Snap has established a partnership with ShareChat’s Moj application to incorporate its Camera Kit technology within the Indian platform. This collaboration signifies Snap’s strategic effort to bolster its expansion within the world’s second-largest internet market.

First Indian Partnership for Snap’s AR Technology

This marks the inaugural instance of Snap collaborating with an Indian company regarding its Camera Kit. The technology unlocks a diverse array of augmented reality (AR) capabilities, as jointly announced by both organizations. Snap has previously integrated Camera Kit with other global platforms, including Triller.

Enhanced AR Experiences for Moj Creators

Creators on the Moj platform will gain access to Snap’s AR technology directly within the application. Furthermore, certain lenses developed by these creators will become accessible to Snap’s user base, according to executives from both companies during a TechCrunch interview.

ShareChat’s Ongoing Fundraising Efforts

This development coincides with ShareChat’s current fundraising initiatives. ShareChat, the parent company of Moj, operates a prominent social network in India, catering to users across more than twelve regional languages. Reports indicate discussions with potential investors such as Google, Snap, and Twitter, as previously covered by TechCrunch.

A Developing Relationship

Ben Schwerin, Snap’s Senior Vice President of Content and Partnerships, characterized the current collaboration as the initial phase of a broader relationship between the two companies. He refrained from commenting on any potential investment discussions.

Expanding AR Reach in India

Schwerin emphasized that the partnership with the eight-month-old Moj will facilitate the expansion of Snap’s AR technology to a larger audience within India. Snap has experienced substantial growth in the country in recent quarters, overcoming previous challenges in establishing a strong foothold.

Significant User Growth for Snap in India

Data from App Annie, shared with TechCrunch by an industry source, reveals that Snap had approximately 80 million monthly active users in India as of December. This represents a significant increase from the roughly 25 million users recorded a year prior.

Moj and ShareChat’s User Base

ShareChat has cultivated a user base exceeding 160 million monthly active users in India. Its Moj application, launched following the ban of TikTok in June of last year, reached approximately 80 million users by September, according to the startup’s figures.

Competition in the Indian Short-Video Market

Numerous Indian startups are vying to capitalize on the void left by TikTok’s ban. Times Internet’s MX Player has introduced MX TakaTak, and DailyHunt has expanded into short-form video with Josh. The parent company of these platforms recently secured over $100 million in funding, following a similar investment from Google just two months earlier.

Global Players Enter the Fray

Major international companies are also actively participating in this competitive landscape. Facebook launched Instagram Reels in India last year, and YouTube introduced Shorts, which has already amassed over 3.5 billion daily views in the country.

Lens Development and Localization

Moj has initially released 30 Snap-powered lenses for its community and plans to develop over 400 lenses in the coming years. Some of these will be created in collaboration with Snapchat Official Lens Creators based in India.

Innovation and Customization

“An incredible selection of AR lenses, customized and localized for Moj’s audience, is anticipated,” stated Schwerin. He added that creators have already developed over 1.5 million lenses for the Snap platform, suggesting potential for further innovation.

Enhanced User Engagement

Gaurav Mishra, ShareChat’s Senior Vice President of Product, indicated that the partnership will enable Moj users to engage more profoundly with the community and differentiate themselves. He declined to disclose the extent of resources ShareChat intends to allocate to lens creation. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed by either company.

Improving AR Quality in India

Hardik Shah of SuperFan Studio, a leading AR creative firm in India, commented that the wider availability of Snap’s AR technology will elevate the quality of lenses and filters accessible to Indian users.

Evolving AR Trends

“Brands must recognize that concepts like ‘Which Disney character are you?’ are outdated and should be avoided,” Shah advised. “It’s preferable to forgo an AR experience altogether than to proceed with stale and uninspired content.”