An update to the iFramed social media gateway app for iOS adds an augmented reality feature called JuxImage that gives its users Snapchat-like photo and video effects.
For the uninitiated, iFramed enables users to post sponsored content to various social media outlets. Users can upload photos and videos, select the sites where they want them published, and choose among a variety of branding options based on their demographics and location. iFramed shares the resulting advertising revenue with their users; the amount varies based on user popularity and corresponding advertising rates.
JuxImage provides a gallery of images for users to insert into photos. Whereas Snapchat and Facebook opt for cartoonish imagery, animations, and facial effects, JuxImage offers realistic options, such as animals, celebrities and famous landmarks, as stickers to place in photos.
The augmented reality features will be available for the Android version of iFramed by the end of August.
Snapchat and their array of photo and video filters took an early leadership position when it comes to augmented reality in social media, prompting Facebook to inject identical functionality within Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram apps and gain ground on their competitor.
But, before you dismiss JuxImage as a Snapchat clone, iFramed claims to have been there first. Snapchat is accused of violating iFrame's patent for serving external content based on geo-location. iFrame's previous parent company, Investel, filed the suit in Federal Court of Canada last year; UnitedCorp acquired iFramed in June 2017 and is continuing to pursue action against Snap, Inc.
We have our own business plan for iFramed to provide cutting-edge services to social media users. iFramed is a powerful global system and is extremely compelling to both advertisers and social media users. The geo-location data gathered from users and resulting insertion of advertiser's content into posted picture which allows users to make money on their content is vital and key to the use of social media in the future. The lawsuit reflects our continued commitment to protect our investments by vigorously pursuing action against the unauthorized and unlicensed use of our intellectual property, in any jurisdiction where we hold priority rights.
Though Snap does hold patents for content-aware photo filters and visual content editing functions, UnitedCorp maintains that neither patent covers geo-location functionality.
"In simple terms, even the existing Snap patents do not allow for Snap to do what it is doing without infringing iFramed technology," stated Benoit Laliberte, UnitedCorp's President, via news release. "We are uncertain on what basis Snap asserts its right to use it."
"We generally do not comment on pending litigation, but believe these claims are meritless," said a spokesperson for Snapchat to CBC News last year.
Just updated your iPhone to iOS 18? You'll find a ton of hot new features for some of your most-used Apple apps. Dive in and see for yourself:
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