Facebook announced, as part of its Facebook Connect event today that it’ll expand third-party creators reach to both Messenger and Portal, and soon the effects they create through Spark AR, Facebook’s AR program, can show up in that app and device, too. The team says it’ll have updates about when the third-party effects will roll out early next year.
Facebook also combined the news with updated numbers about Spark AR usage. The company now says it counts more than 400,000 Spark AR creators from 190 countries, who have published more than a million AR effects on both Facebook and Instagram.
In the past three months, more than 150 accounts have each seen their effects generate over a billion views on Instagram. This is substantial given that Facebook only took Spark AR out of beta last August.
Finally, the company took the Connect event opportunity to remind people that brands are taking advantage of AR in ads, allowing users to try things on virtually before buying them.
Facebook is also working on AR glasses, with plans to release a pair of smart glasses next year.
