Snapchat, everybody’s favourite sexting app, has just grown up. Now, to complement its simple self-destructing messages, the iOS and Android apps both handle instant messaging and live video chats.
To use them, you just swipe right from the main camera screen to find a list of friends, from where you can send them a message or start a video call. In keeping with Snapchat’s ethos, text is wiped as soon as you exit a chat screen, although you can tap messages to save if you so wish.
Video chats are designed to be ephemeral: a throbbing blue icon tells you when a friend notices you, and you press — and have to hold — it to provide a one-way video stream to their device. Your friend can do the same right back at you.
It’s an interesting pair of additions. They radically expand functionality of Snapchat, but also avoid changing the purpose of the app. Sexting has never had it so good. [Snapchat]