Snapchat released a new function allowing users to alternatively chat with each other via text – or as the blog post announcing the release said, “putting the Chat into Snapchat.”
Swiping to the right on a friend’s name in the app allows chats to happen. One caveat, however, is that messages will be deleted once you leave the chat screen – much like how chatted images and videos automatically delete.
A neat feature about the new Chat function is the live video that comes when you press and hold on the chat screen — allowing users to see each other as they type.
“Until today, we felt that Snapchat is missing an important part of conversation: presence,” the post said. “There’s nothing like knowing you have the full attention of your friend while you’re chatting.”
Snapchat has quickly taken the social media scene by storm, as its quickly-disappearing images have proven to be quite a popular way for smartphone users to communicate. They’ve also launched a series of convenient updates — ranging from deleting snaps by default, going right to the camera upon opening the app and filing stories in chronological order. The new chat feature is just the latest in that update line.
Snapchat users were previously limited to one form of communication, through images. But adding a chat function allows the app to branch out and offer users a different option to keep up with their social networks.
