Snapchat

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Summary

Snapchat is a multimedia app that can be used on smartphones running Android or iOS. It allows you to send pictures or videos, named "Snaps," to friends. These Snaps vanish after they've been viewed.

The platform also offers a Chat function, similar to instant messaging services like WhatsApp. The main difference, however, is that, as with Snaps, Chats disappear once they've been viewed.

You can change your settings so Chats vanish 24 hours after opening instead. They can also be saved by tapping once on the message; either user in the conversation can delete Chats by tapping again.

You can set time limits on Snaps or they can loop infinitely. If you choose the latter option, they can be saved in the Chat screen.

Nonetheless, the whole point of Snapchat is that anything sent soon disappears.

Publications also use it to circulate specific content, like short articles and image-centric stories. That means it's also a good way of keeping up-to-date with news (particularly related to the entertainment industry).

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Types of Snapchat Content

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Snaps

Available to all users since day one, a Snap is a picture or video that you send through the app to one or more of your friends.

A video snap can be a maximum of 60 seconds long (known as a Long Snap). Keeping in line with the app’s original feature, Snapchat doesn’t hold onto any photo or video content—the platform

deletes content⁠

after the recipient has viewed the Snap.

Hold the capture button down to take a video, and a red marker will appear to indicate that that app is recording. You can capture up to 10 seconds of video in one Snap. If you keep holding the button down, it will record multiple Snaps up to 60 seconds of video.

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Stories

A Snapchat story is a photo or video you post to your Stories feed. Stories live for 24 hours, and people can view them as often as they want during that period. Once the 24-hour time limit is up, Snapchat automatically deletes the story.

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