Verizon Is Giving Away the iPhone XS via Snapchat AR Scavenger Hunt

Now that the iPhone XS is officially available for pre-order, Verizon and Apple are giving Snapchat users the opportunity to win the device through an augmented reality scavenger hunt rather than forking over $1,000 for one.

Starting on Friday and ending Sept. 17, Snapchat users will be able to collect virtual music snippets, which manifest as pulsing AR visuals via Lenses. After collecting at least three loops and one super look, participants will be able to mix them together to create a full track. Players can then submit their tracks for a chance to win an iPhone XS.

Tommy Palladino/Next Reality

Tommy Palladino/Next Reality

Tommy Palladino/Next Reality

Tommy Palladino/Next Reality

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According to a Verizon spokesperson, the loops feature music produced by Squeak E Clean from songs by SZA, Daya, Børns, and others. A total of 150 iPhone XS smartphones will be given away as part of the contest. Those interested in playing along can get started at the sweepstakes website.

• Don't Miss: Snapchat's Easter Egg Hunt Showcases Potential for Branded Augmented Reality Games

Verizon pulled a similar stunt in 2017, where the company challenged citizens in eight US cities to follow clues and find the spot to unlock an AR Lens and a chance to win the iPhone 8.

Similarly, back in April, Snapchat treated users to The Great Snapchat Easter Egg Hunt, where players could find virtual Easter eggs in real-world locations via Snap Map. Each egg hatched a different Easter bunny that would dance in the player's physical environment.

While the contest takes the appearance of a location-based AR game, but this generic map that does not resemble my current location gives it away.

In the end, the virtual music loops come together like Voltron. Based on the audio results, I am not good at music mashups.

While the contest takes the appearance of a location-based AR game, but this generic map that does not resemble my current location gives it away.

In the end, the virtual music loops come together like Voltron. Based on the audio results, I am not good at music mashups.

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At the time, I theorized that this would eventually become another ad product, so at first blush, it felt pretty good to be right. However, according to a Snap spokesperson, the new experience actually doesn't use Snap Maps.

The game is available to US participants in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, New Orleans, Atlanta, Miami, Denver, Las Vegas, Cincinnati, and Minnesota. For others, the game takes on the appearance of "catching" music clips in the wild, but in actuality, you're just following a series of links and Snapcodes. When an AR music loop appears, catching the loop consists of tapping a Shoppable AR-like link.

Tommy Palladino/Next Reality

Tommy Palladino/Next Reality

Tommy Palladino/Next Reality

Tommy Palladino/Next Reality

Previous SlideNext Slide

There's a certain amount of irony in the fact that Snapchat's AR platform will be used in an iPhone XS giveaway instead of an ARKit-built app, or some Animoji-based mischief.

But in the end, for many marketing teams, leveraging an existing social network like Snapchat is hard to deny when the goal is reaching as many potential consumers as possible.

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Cover image via Apple