Snapchat has debuted a new feature in its app that offers users multiple points of view when it comes to stories. The feature, called Story Explorer, can be activated simply by swiping up on particular snaps, allowing users to see more from the same moment.
The feature has launched on both the New York and Los Angeles live stories, with plans of rolling out further in the near future.
It's certainly an interesting new feature, and one that could come in handy. You might see a snap from the Taylor Swift concert, but what if you want to see the show from a vantage point a littler closer to the stage? That's the idea behind Story Explorer, according to Evan Spiegel, Snapchat CEO.
"The basic idea was we don't provide any depth inside Stories—you're on the red carpet. Then you're at a concert for a split-second," said Spiegel during an interview with the LA Times. "It was a feeling of 'show me more,' and we're fortunate that we just get so much video submitted to us that we had the ability from a content perspective to provide depth."
Live Stories will continue to be selected by Snapchat employees, but during individual clips users will be able to swipe up to continue to explore events. They can then swipe down to return to the main stream of snaps.
A very complex array of computers is dedicated to analyzing video submissions to choose content shown in Story Explorer. The computers will consider things like objects shown in videos, as well as submission times and location data.
The new feature could also help boost Snapchat's business. This is because it is aimed at encouraging users to stay on the app longer, meaning there's a longer time that they could be shown ads. It's not yet known if Story Explorer will lead to new ad types being implemented within the app.
Via: LA Times
