Snapchat

Late last night the Federal Communications Commission published a new filing for a "wearable video camera" that was registered by Snap Inc and designated as "model 002." The filing is believed to be for the rumored second iteration of Snapchat's Spectacles device, with multiple snippets from the redacted documents specifically referencing the "Spectacles" brand. According to the filing,...

Snapchat today began implementing Apple's TrueDepth camera technology in its Lenses selfie feature for the first time. The silent update means iPhone X owners who use Snapchat will see augmented reality masks pop up in the app that make use of Apple's advanced facial mapping technology to superimpose the mask onto the user's face more realistically and track motion more accurately. Apple...

Snapchat today announced that users on iOS and Android will soon be able to begin group video chats with up to 16 friends at once. The feature's addition comes about two years after Snapchat first introduced video and voice chat in spring 2016. To start a group video chat, users will need to enter an existing group chat -- or create a new one -- and then tap the video icon. This will notify...

In late 2016, Snapchat launched its first consumer product with the Spectacles, a pair of glasses that came equipped with a small camera that could record video clips from a first-person perspective and upload them to a Story on the iOS and Android Snapchat app. Although the company ultimately took a $40 million loss on the Spectacles, a new report from live news show Cheddar today claims that...

Over the past few weeks Snapchat has been rolling out a major user interface overhaul to more and more users on its iOS and Android apps. Most users have responded negatively to the app redesign, which separates friends from brands so that users can focus on people they actually know, but condenses stories and text chats into one page. Today, Snap Inc. announced an additional update to Friends ...

Yesterday Snapchat announced its first-ever live television event coverage, aimed at key highlights coming out of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Today, the company is revealing an enhanced version of its custom Geofilters with a new paid "Create Your Own Lens" studio that lets users build and edit their own personalized selfie Lenses for major events and parties. Snapchat's "Create Your Own ...

Snap Inc. today announced an all-new Live feature that will allow users of the iOS and Android apps to stream key snippets of major televised events, the first partner being NBCUniversal in time for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. Beginning this Saturday, February 10, Snapchat users will see these live streams of the Olympics in the app's Discover page. NBCUniversal will also be...

Twitter is "experimenting" with a new update to its mobile iOS and Android apps that is said to make it easier for users to share videos and photos on the social network. According to people familiar with the matter, speaking with Bloomberg, the update is still in an early testing phase and could "change significantly" over the next few months, but comes at a time when Twitter is looking to...

Snap Inc. has announced that users will now be able to share the Discover section's Official Stories, unpartnered Our Stories, and Search Stories with anyone who isn't on Snapchat. The company confirmed to MacRumors that this Story sharing feature does not cover the sharing of a user's own personal Stories outside of the app. To share a Story, Snapchat users can tap and hold on tiles in...

Snapchat today turned the tables on Facebook for once by mimicking one of the social media giant's favorite features – your year in review, based on photos and videos posted in the last 12 months. The feature can be accessed using the memories icon at the bottom of Snapchat's home screen interface. Selecting "A Look Back at 2017" automatically generates a Story around your timeline of...

Snap is reportedly working on a new Snapchat feature that will let users share stories outside of the mobile app, in an effort to boost Snapchat's presence in the social media space (via The Verge). Called "Stories Everywhere", the feature should see Snapchat's premium video and editorial content appear on news sites and elsewhere online. The move aims to bring greater visibility to the brand, ...

Snapchat today announced "Lens Studio," an all-new application for Mac and Windows computers that lets creatives and developers create their own augmented reality effects. Although anyone can use Lens Studio, the company noted that it was built with tools aimed at those who "dabble" in 2D animation effects, as well as professional artists. With the Mac app users can create a fully realized...

Following an op-ed shared on Axios earlier this morning by CEO Evan Spiegel, Snapchat has now unveiled its radical redesign with the goal of creating a personalized user experience that's easier to navigate, particularly for new users (via TechCrunch). The app's update will start to roll out to iOS and Android users on Friday, and will be introduced to everyone "within a few weeks." The update ...

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, ...

Facebook is continuing its seemingly relentless trend of copying Snapchat with the testing of a new feature that plays on the latter's chat streak challenge, which encourages users to "keep your streak going" when messaging friends. Facebook Messenger streaks include an emoji status to indicate friends that a user is currently in a streak with – who they've messaged for at least two days in...

Longtime Snapchat users should prepare themselves for a radical overhaul of the way the mobile app works, based on comments made by Snap CEO Evan Spiegel in his earnings letter to investors on Tuesday. With the company falling short of lowered projections for growth, Snap put much of the blame on the fact that the social platform is simply a mystery to outsiders. "One thing we have heard over...

Stranger Things: The Game received a feature update on Friday, coinciding with the hit TV series' season two debut on Netflix. Version 1.0.252 of the free retro-style sci-fi adventure game brings a new playable character to the Arcade and a brand new Hawkins High School dungeon. Elsewhere, there are new quests to be gained from the Florist and the Hawk Theater Attendant, while players have...

Snapchat for iOS received a somewhat significant update today that's designed to allow users to share links or photos from third-party apps with friends and to set a specific timer for location sharing. Starting today, iOS users can use the Share Sheet in an app like Twitter or Safari to share links to content in a direct Snapchat message. The update makes sharing content simpler, as there's...

Snapchat today introduced a new feature called Context Cards, designed to add more information and functionality to your Snaps. Context Cards offer quick access to options like location information, directions, reviews, and ride sharing services. Context Cards can be accessed by swiping up on any Snap that has a "More" option, with the info attached to Snaps tagged with venue-specific...

Snapchat is gaining a new feature called "Sky Filters," which are able to detect the sky in an image and then layer different effects on top, much like Snapchat's existing face-based filters. Snapchat told TechCrunch that the new filters are rolling out starting today on iOS an Android. Available filters will rotate on a daily basis and will include virtual weather, sunsets, stars, rainbows,...