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Snapchat's new Android app is better, but imperfect
Snapchat may soon get better for Android users, but that day is not today. On Monday, Snap teased its long-awaited Android redesign, something that should delight its frustrated users. But while the company is making changes, they're not all quite ready.
Snapchat is opening up your shared Stories to media partners
Snapchat is opening up public, user-submitted videos to the "Our Stories" feature to its media partners. Soon, the likes of CNN and NBC News will pull from public videos to supplement their own stories. Deadline writes that media companies using Snapchat will likely overlay graphics and text to the videos for context. For example, folks attending a late-season baseball game and adding it to the Our Stories for the game could see their footage in a post from ESPN.
Netflix is bringing video previews to its mobile apps
A year after introducing video previews on its TV experience, Netflix is now planning to bring the feature to its mobile apps. The company announced today this will be rolling out in April, noting that it was developed to help make it easier and faster for users to find content on their smartphone. As you might expect, the execution here looks different: These mobile video previews are vertical, which makes them feel similar to Snapchat or Instagram stories. Once they launch, you'll see a new section dubbed "Previews" when you open the Netflix app, and you'll be able to browse them by swiping left on each one.
Snapchat brings Snap Map to the web
Last year, Snapchat released Snap Map, collections of public Stories laid out on a map so you can check out what your pals are up to or see if anything interesting is happening nearby. Now, Snapchat has made the map viewable on the web. Whether you're on Snapchat or not, you can head over to map.snapchat.com and view public Stories from around the world.
Snapchat Stories are coming to the web
Snap calls itself a camera company, and today it's taking a big step towards the proliferation of content beyond the confines of Snapchat. As rumored, the company will allow iOS and Android users to share select stories outside of the app (the same way you'd share a mobile web link or tweet). At launch, the feature is limited to content from Snapchat's Discover media partners, Our Stories from events and places and stories from the search bar.
Snapchat Stories may be coming to the web
Snapchat may have a new way to fight Facebook's me-too efforts: make Stories available beyond its mobile app. A Cheddar source has claimed that Snap is working on Stories Everywhere, which (surprise) would make Stories available on the web and other apps. It's reportedly in the early stages, but there would be an embedded web player that would encourage you to download the Snapchat app. It's not certain when the feature would be available.
Snapchat’s redesign separates friends' posts from media content
Snapchat's major redesign is here and it's all about separating your relationships from content. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel wrote on Axios today that Snapchat has always been primarily geared towards conversing with friends and with the new layout, Snapchat will make that even easier. "With the upcoming redesign of Snapchat, we are separating the social from the media, and taking an important step forward towards strengthening our relationships with our friends and our relationships with the media," he wrote.
Snapchat adds another feature Facebook will copy
Snapchat is in a tough spot right now and we're not just talking about all of those insensitive filters. Users love Stories, but because of that, everybody from Medium to Bumble to Facebook is adding its own version of the feature to its platforms. At this point, Snapchat needs to do whatever it can to stay one step ahead of its many imitators. It made a move to do just that today with a new search tool for Stories.
Disappearing videos are coming to a Bumble profile near you
The next way dating app Bumble is separating itself from Tinder is video. If you're familiar with Snapchat Stories or Instagram's ephemeral offerings, BumbleVID should sound be pretty recognizable. Users can make a story out of an unlimited amount of ten-second video clips from within the app. Anyone swiping past your profile can see them and after 24 hours, they disappear.
Facebook tests feature similar to Snapchat Stories for Messenger
Facebook has been keen on borrowing features from Snapchat as of late and it's testing yet another one in Poland. The so-called "Messenger Day" tool allows Facebook Messenger users to share a collection of photos and videos with friends that will disappear in 24 hours. And yes, they can be decorated with text, scribbles, stickers and more just like you can do with Snapchat Stories. If you'll recall, Facebook reportedly tried to buy Snapchat for $3 billion before getting turned down in 2013.
