Meta closes augmented reality platform Spark for third-party providers

Meta Platforms has announced that it will close its own AR platform called "Spark" for third-party tools and content on January 14, 2025. This means that filters and augmented reality effects provided by external developers, which can be used for Facebook and Instagram, for example, will no longer be available from next year. The reaction from developers and Spark users has been fierce. Some are complaining that they will be deprived of their source of income in just a few months.

Launched in 2017, Spark AR is a software development kit (SDK) from Meta Platforms that allows developers of augmented reality effects to create and distribute things like face filters for the Instagram feed. This is no small scene, as has become apparent when looking at the crux of popular filters for the "Instagram face". But this will soon be a thing of the past.

However, Meta is not completely abandoning augmented reality (AR) and corresponding filters, only those from external developers. AR effects from Meta itself will continue to be available within the company's apps, as Meta writes. Meta would like to thank the developer community, companies and all stakeholders who have been part of the journey with Spark. AR would now reach hundreds of millions of users of the Meta platforms.

Meta is alienating hundreds of thousands of external developers

In addition to filters and AR effects for image creation on Facebook or Instagram, Meta also extended these functions to video calls within Messenger, Instagram and the now discontinued smart displays of the Portal series in 2021. According to Meta, more than 600,000 developers from over 190 countries have built AR effects with these tools at this point, reports Techcrunch.

Nevertheless, Meta wants to do without third-party providers and their AR effects and filters in the future. The Facebook Group justifies the discontinuation of Spark for third-party providers with "efforts to prioritize the products that we believe will best meet the future needs of our consumers and business customers alike." Further information may be available at the Meta Connect event planned for September 25, 2024.

Protest from a community that will also soon be closed

The protest from developers within the"Meta Spark Community", a public Facebook group with almost 142,000 members, is huge. Some are demanding a detailed justification for the exclusion of third-party providers, while others are looking for alternative platforms for AR development. Lens Studio, for example, the AR platform for Snapchat, is recommended here. A petition has also been launched to persuade Meta to give in and continue Spark for third-party providers.

Meta will not only discontinue Spark for third-party providers, but will also archive the Meta Spark Community on Facebook. As of January 14, 2025, this Facebook group will only be readable, but no new posts or comments can be posted.

(fds)