SODA - Natural Beauty Camera

What it does

SODA is an AI-driven camera and photo editing application designed for enhancing selfies and portraits. Its core function is to provide users with a vast toolkit of real-time filters, makeup styles, and granular retouching options. The app leverages AI to perform complex edits like changing hairstyles (01:55), altering facial expressions (02:22), and reshaping body features (04:22) with simple, intuitive controls.

Where it shines

SODA excels in making powerful, complex editing accessible. The AI Hair feature (02:05) is a standout, realistically transforming the subject's hairstyle with a single tap. The app’s use of an interactive before-and-after slider at 03:58 to showcase its Hi-res AI conversion is particularly effective. It provides a clear, satisfying demonstration of value. Furthermore, the ability to save a complex set of adjustments as a personal 'My Beauty' preset (03:07) is a clever touch that bridges the gap between pro-level control and casual use.

UX highlights

Live Previews: The camera mode allows users to try on complex makeup styles and filters in real-time before taking a photo (00:52).
Granular Control: Most effects, from filters to beauty adjustments, are controlled by a simple slider, giving users fine-tuned control over the intensity (01:19).
AI Loading Animations: When processing heavy AI effects, the app uses a colorful, circular loading animation that provides clear feedback without being a boring spinner (01:56).
Categorized Effects: The extensive library of filters and effects is well-organized into tabs like 'Hot', 'HAIR', and 'Reshape', making discovery manageable (00:56).
One-Tap Transformations: Complex changes like adding a smile (02:27) or altering a hairstyle (01:55) are initiated with a single tap, with the AI handling the heavy lifting.
Visual Feature Toggles: Edits are applied and removed with simple taps on the feature icons, allowing for quick experimentation.

Monetization & growth

Monetization is front and center in SODA. The onboarding flow quickly guides users to a soft paywall at 00:19 that offers a 7-day free trial for a yearly subscription. The yearly plan is heavily promoted with a '-50%' discount tag. Throughout the app, numerous features, filters, and styles are marked with a 'VIP' tag, constantly reminding free users of the benefits of upgrading. The app focuses on a subscription model, with no lifetime or one-time purchase options visible in this recording.

Who it’s for

SODA is primarily for social media users, content creators, and individuals who want to perfect their selfies and portraits before sharing them. Its intuitive interface makes it accessible to casual users who just want a quick touch-up, while its extensive set of granular controls also appeals to more discerning users who want to create a specific, polished aesthetic. The focus on beauty, makeup, and trendy styles suggests a younger, digitally-native audience.

Notes & opportunities

The initial onboarding is very aggressive, forcing three consecutive permission pop-ups (00:06 - 00:12) which could lead to high drop-off rates for some users. While effective for monetization, this high-friction start could be softened with warmup screens explaining the need for each permission. Additionally, the process of finding a specific edit can be lengthy; a search function within the editing tool itself, not just in the style library, could improve usability for power users.