Snapchat, the video messaging app, has been updated for iOS as well as Android, bringing new features to users.
The update offers a number of new features that will improve user experience and also provide increased security.
Snapchat has introduced a two-factor authentication. When a user logs in to the Snapchat app from a new device, the app requires a code to be entered. This six-digit code is sent to the authorized phone number via SMS to ensure the login details of the app are being used by an authentic user. Users will have to turn on this feature from the Settings of the app.
Once the feature has been activated, a user also has the option to create a recovery code in case the handset from which a user is accessing Snapchat regularly is lost or broken.
The new update also brings along a double tap feature that allows users to switch cameras from front to rear, or vice versa, when trying to send an image from the app. The feature may be beneficial to users who want to create short films or those who are just trying to add some creativity to videos or snaps.
Snapchat has also hosted new battery filters in the app. The battery status shows if the sender is running low or high on battery. The exact usage of this feature remains unclear.
The latest Snapchat app is available as a free download from iTunes as well as Play Store. The updated Snapchat app is compatible with devices running on iOS 7, or later, and weighs 50.5MB.
The Android Snapchat app, on the other hand, weighs only 16MB and needs Android 4.0 or above to run the updated app.
Snapchat gained popularity because images captured by a user can be immediately sent to select Snapchat users with a built-in self-destruct timer. However, the messaging service is facing stiff competition from other similar messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Line, Kik and more.
Flickr: AdamPrzezdziek | Flickr
