Snapcodes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Snapcode
Classification
TypeProprietary scannable code

Snapcodes are proprietary two-dimensional barcode images used by the social-media platform Snapchat to add friends, open web pages, unlock lenses and perform other in-app actions. Each Snapcode is a yellow square containing a central Ghostface Chillah logo ringed by black dots that encode a unique identifier. Scanning the image with the Snapchat camera triggers the associated action, avoiding the need to type usernames or URLs.[1]

History

[edit | edit source]

Snapcodes debuted in Snapchat on 27 January 2015 alongside the Discover content hub.[1] The feature was built on technology from Utah-based QR start-up Scan, Inc., which Snap had quietly acquired for about US$50–54 million in late 2014.[2]

Within months Snapchat said “millions of Snapcodes are scanned each week,” reflecting rapid adoption.[3]

Feature expansions

[edit | edit source]
  • Animated profile GIFs (September 2015): tapping a personal Snapcode lets a user record a looping five-frame selfie that replaces the ghost icon.[4]
  • Vector downloads (May 2015): users gained the option to export high-resolution SVG files of their Snapcode for posters and merchandise.[3]
  • Website Snapcodes (31 January 2017): Snapchat added custom codes that open any URL inside its in-app browser, a move The Verge said would put “Snapcodes everywhere” in advertising.[5]
  • Codes can also unlock hidden AR lenses, geofilters or Discover channels.[3]

Design and technology

[edit | edit source]

Snapcodes borrow the visual grammar of the QR code but use a proprietary dot pattern readable only by Snapchat. The central ghost cut-out can display a selfie or brand logo without affecting scannability. All decoding occurs on-device; Snap has not published the specification.

Usage and adoption

[edit | edit source]

Acting as Snapchat’s equivalent of a follow button, Snapcodes are shared on social profiles, business cards, billboards and even concert screens. Brands such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola have printed them on packaging. Wired credited Snapcodes with reviving mainstream interest in QR technology in the United States.[6]

Influence

[edit | edit source]

Competing services later introduced similar scannable profile codes, including Facebook Messenger, Instagram (Nametags) and Venmo.[7]

Patents

[edit | edit source]

Snap holds several United States patents covering the dot pattern and customization of Snapcodes, among them:

  • US 9,111,164 – “Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes” (2015)[8]
  • US 9,911,073 – “Facial patterns for optical barcodes” (2018)

See also

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ US9111164B1, "Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes", assigned to Snap Inc. 
[edit | edit source]
Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Snapcodes&oldid=22715934"