Snapchat over the weekend quietly began launching a new intelligent image recognition feature in its app, first spotted by Mashable. The feature automatically recognizes certain objects and events when you snap a picture of them, and provides you with appropriate filters and borders for your images when you scroll through editing options. At launch, recognizable objects include concerts, beaches, pets, sports, and food.

snapchat food filters
Snapchat's image recognition is meant to be used when you are taking pictures of real objects and animals, but it also appears to work for more generic images found on the internet. A Snapchat spokesperson told MacRumors that image processing takes place locally on your iPhone, and the company will continuously improve the feature with better accuracy and quality of the recommendations as more people use it.

The update is launching ahead of Snapchat's imminent redesign, which CEO Evan Spiegel has stated will be a direct response to users who claim the app is difficult to understand. In an earnings letter shared earlier in November, Spiegel said that "our team has been working on responding to this feedback," and the redesign has been hinted at including algorithmic feeds in the Stories section of the app.

Top Rated Comments

rye9 Avatar
72 months ago
hot dog or not hot dog?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
seanmcbay Avatar
72 months ago
Que up the hordes of grumpy MacRumors posters in their 40s and 50s complaining that this is pointless and they don’t understand Snapchat.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TonyC28 Avatar
72 months ago
Que up the hordes of grumpy MacRumors posters in their 40s and 50s complaining that this is pointless and they don’t understand Snapchat.
30s here and don’t understand Snapchat or the need for people to take pictures of their meal and share it with others. Maybe I’m just an old soul.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trusso Avatar
72 months ago
Que up the hordes of grumpy MacRumors posters in their 40s and 50s complaining that this is pointless and they don’t understand Snapchat.
I'm in my late twenties. I think it's pointless. I don't understand Snapchat.

There. Happy? :rolleyes:
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scottsoapbox Avatar
72 months ago
Can it recognize food and then filter it out of my feed?

(no one cares what you ate people. no one.)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
72 months ago
Que up the hordes of grumpy MacRumors posters in their 40s and 50s complaining that this is pointless and they don’t understand Snapchat.
Every single time Snapchat is mentioned. These forums are filled with complaints.

Every time Facebook is mentioned, you've always got that guy who tells you all about how they don't use Facebook. You know who does use Facebook? Over 2 billion people every day.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)