Web3 social protocol Lens to drop V2 — here’s what’s new

Lens Protocol’s next iteration is on the way, coming more than a year after its creators released the first iteration of the Web3 social platform.

Lens Protocol is an open-source tech stack that allows developers to build social media apps. A number of apps have launched on Lens, including Lenster, a Twitter alternative. 

The team behind the project announced details about Lens’ second version Monday. In a Twitter thread, they called it “the next chapter in the evolution of Lens.”

For developers and app creators, V2 promises a host of new features. 

Among them are Open Actions, which will allow users to execute external smart contract actions directly on Lens apps that integrate the feature. For example, a user could mint an NFT on OpenSea via a post on Lens without having to actually visit the marketplace’s website.

Developers for the protocol say the new version enables ways to connect to other networks and platforms, including DAOs, Gitcoin and virtual worlds such as Decentraland or the Sandbox. 

In the case of the Sandbox, a user could give their virtual plot of land, a tokenized NFT, a Lens profile and open a mailbox to communicate with other pieces of land. 

“This functionality gives NFTs their own social relationships, voice and monetization opportunity. For example, CryptoKitty can own a Lens profile, follow other CryptoKitties and publish content, creating its own value chain,” according to a blog post from Lens Protocol.

Lens V2 also introduces features that have been part of the core functionality for existing social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram for years.

With V2, a profile’s follow button has been updated so all relationships are attached to a profile and not the follower. Additionally, Lens profiles can now block other profiles on-chain. If a user blocks a profile, it can’t follow, comment, mirror, quote or conduct an open action on that user’s posts.

The Lens team has opened a waitlist for V2 access. At the time of publication, the waitlist link wasn’t operational.

Lens’ developers said once V2 launches on mainnet, they will “gradually onboard new profiles.” Existing Lens profiles will be able to migrate to the upgraded version at launch.

Monday’s announcement comes months after Lens launched Momoka, its solution to speed up transactions while making them cheaper by storing them off-chain.

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