Source: The Verge
Summary
Snapchat, a photo-sharing app, allows users to send disappearing photos that can only be viewed once and remain available for 24 hours. The app has gained popularity among users, particularly among younger generations. Snapchat has also raised $20 million in Series A funding.
Our Reading
The launch follows a familiar script.
Snapchat’s disappearing photos are a “new” feature that sounds an awful lot like something we’ve seen before. The app’s ephemerality is supposed to make it more appealing, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that we’ve been here before. Snapchat’s funding round is impressive, but it’s not like we haven’t seen other apps raise big money before. The app’s popularity among younger users is notable, but it’s not like we haven’t seen other apps capture the attention of teens before. Snapchat’s 24-hour window for viewing photos is a “feature” that feels like a rebranding of something we already had.
Snapchat is just another iteration of the same old thing.
Author: Evan Null
