TikTok has released beta sign-ups for Effect House, their very own development studio focusing on Augmented Reality effects.
Snapchat and Facebook have gained some of their popularity by using augmented reality for their face mask filters on their respective messenger sections of the mobile apps. These use face detection on your camera to place entertaining images over your face like a Halloween costume.
Following the footsteps of these tech giants, TikTok is looking for developers to sign up for the beta version of their Effect House Studio in an attempt to bring AR effects to the platform.
TikTok Effect House Availability
As of writing, TikTok has not yet released when the studio will be widely available to developers without having to enroll via the form on the Effect House website.
TikTok Effect House signup and requirements
If you’re a developer looking to sign up for beta access, TikTok has set up a new website where you can fill out a form to request access.
Developers will have to answer a handful of questions while filling out the form:
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
- Name
- TikTok Username
- If they’re using it for work or play
- Experience
- If they’ve created an AR effect before
- What type of effects they would be creating
- PC or Mac
- How they heard about Effect House
TikTok Effect House
According to a report from TechCrunch, TikTok has characterized Effect House as an early “experiment,” while adding that some experiments do not make it to launch. However, the launch of an AR development kit would help TikTok compete with other platforms.
In August 2020, Snapchat announced a multi-million dollar fund with the sole purpose of AR Lens creation. Facebook’s Spark AR platform was added to video calls in June 2021, helping it grow to over 600,000 creators across 190 countries.
A TikTok spokesperson told TechCrunch: “We’re always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience. Currently, we’re experimenting with ways to give creators additional tools to bring their creative ideas to life for the TikTok community.”
While it’s unknown when creators will begin seeing AR effects on the user-side of the platform, it will be interesting to see how developers take advantage of the tools offered once they are released.