Snapchat's new Lenses respond to your voice not your face

Today, Snapchat announced that it is rolling out a new set of Lenses that will respond to your voice. There's no need to make a facial gesture, like an eyebrow raise or sticking your tongue out, to activate these. Simply say one of the recognized English words, like "Hi," "Love" or "Wow," and the Lenses will animate. These Lenses will begin appearing today in a global rollout.

If you come across one of these Lenses in the carousel, on-screen instructions will guide you in how to use these voice-triggered Lenses. For now, they only respond to pre-selected English words.

This isn't the first time Snapchat has rolled out an audio lens. Back in May, the social network introduced an animal mask that responded to the sounds it hears. Now, as promised, the company is taking sound-based Lenses to the next level.

Snap has been expanding the use of Lenses across Snapchat, from creating realistic iPhone X-exclusive ones to opening up Lens creation to its user base. Snapchat has been struggling to retain and increase its user base; clearly the company is hopeful that their investment in Lenses will translate into increased engagement.

:story: Endgadget