Aimed at becoming the top messaging app, Snapchat has added a new feature that will target users of its Discover section who are also keen on creating and sharing their own videos through the app.
The new feature, which comes as part of the app's updated version 9.2.0, will allow users to record a video while playing music on their mobile devices.
In January, Snapchat confirmed partnership with media companies such as ESPN, CNN and nine others in order to provide entertainment and news content to its users. Netizens can enjoy them in the app's Discover section in the form of articles and videos. Users can get at least 10 featured stories a day, which will disappear after 24 hours.
The new Snapchat feature is initially available to users of iOS devices. The updated app can now be downloaded from the App Store. There's no information yet on when the feature will become available to Android users.
Those who want to show off their creativity in the video they are sharing can definitely take advantage of the app's updated feature. In the past, users would have to use speakers in the background in order to play and record some music. They would have to rely on their smartphone's microphone when they shoot a video. The new feature would make it easier to record a video and may even give it some professional touch. They can use the recorded video as the soundtrack whenever they send a clip to their friends. They can also upload it to their "Stories" profile.
Snapchat's new feature works with various music apps such as SoundCloud, Spotify and iTunes. There's speculation that the feature would create a new trend of "lip-dub" videos among the app's 100 million active users.
Using Snapchat would previously have to be paused during a video capture when some music is played from SoundCloud, Spotify or iTunes. In the new feature, the user would be able to record everything that is heard playing in the background once the video starts recording.
The feature also makes Snapchat a new competition against other apps such as Dubsmash and Mindie.
Dubsmash has recently enjoyed popularity among teenagers as it focuses on lip-synching movie and music clips.
Mindie, on the other hand, allows users to add music to video clips and share them through a number of social apps.
