Besides the fun doggy, deer and filters of the day, one of the best features in Snapchat - now known as Snap - is Stories. This is where users can see just what Kim Kardashian-West was doing before her scary midnight burglary at gunpoint, and what all of their friends and other fav celebs are up to at any given moment.
But now there is another messaging app that just entered the scene, and it might very well give Snapchat Stories a run for its money.
This is because the new app called Yodel expands on the idea of users sharing their "Stories" and makes it a collaborative effort.
Yodel is all about Group Stories, providing a new way for friends to share moments. Just like Snapchat, all photos and videos shared on Yodel - Group Stories disappear in 24 hours.
"The inspiration for Yodel was the huge demand we heard and felt for a better group messaging experience," Yodel founder and CEO Seth Forsgren told Tech Times. "While Snapchat brought photos and videos to the center of one-to-one communication, group messaging still looks like it did on AIM chat rooms in the '90s. We're here to change that."
After downloading the free app, you can start by tapping on the "How to Yodel" Story to get a brief tutorial. Anyone who has used Snapchat Stories or Instagram Stories will be able to easily master the features.
Tap on the "Create a Story with Friends" button located under "My Stories" in the landing page, enter in a story name and decide if the story should remain public or private. Users can also start a new Story by tapping on the plus icon at the top-right corner of the app at any time.
Another option is to tap on the green camera icon located at the bottom of the screen. You can then set the camera to be in the selfie mode or not, then tap to take a photo or long-press for a video. There is even the option to upload a photo or video from the camera roll.
Once a photo or video is taken or chosen, the user can swipe to add a Yodel doodle, or use the other features that mirror Snapchat like adding emojis, text or using the pen to draw. The Yodel media can then be saved, shared anonymously or added to a Story.
You can then add friends to that story so they too can post photos and videos in that story. This is perfect for sharing family moments, when checking out what's going on around campus or seeing what a select group of friends are up to.
"Snapchat Stories are a great way to broadcast to everyone (including your grandparents who probably just made an account), while group stories on Yodel let you share what you want with the people you want," Forsgren said.
Users swipe up to reply to posts and can comment as well. There is even an option to "Discover" new Stories and join in on the fun in these posts.
Yodel - Group Stories is available to download for free for iOS.
