What you need to know

• The UK plans to ban social media access for under-16s, with the rules expected to take effect in 2027.
• Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, and X would be affected by the ban.
• The proposal would also restrict livestreaming and communication with strangers on gaming platforms.
• Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal are exempted for now.

The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced what could become one of the most aggressive social media crackdowns we've seen yet, unveiling plans to ban social media access for users under the age of 16 in the UK.

Starmer says the goal is to "set a new normal for future generations" and give children their childhoods back. According to him, parents have been calling for stronger protections for years, and the government now wants to introduce broader safeguards to address those concerns.

As part of the proposal, users under 16 would be blocked from accessing platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X (Twitter). An exhaustive list of affected platforms has not yet been released, so it's still unclear whether services like Bluesky or Reddit would also be included. More details are expected soon.

According to the announcement, the measures would also require platforms to prevent children from livestreaming and from communicating with strangers on gaming platforms. Any feature involving communication between under-16s and unknown adults would be restricted.

These protections would reportedly be enabled by default for both 16 and 17-year-olds as well, in an effort to avoid what the government describes as a "cliff-edge" at age 16.

The government is also exploring additional measures, including overnight curfews for social media use and mandatory breaks in infinite scrolling feeds for users under 18. Further details on those proposals are expected in July.

For now, the government says messaging services such as Signal and WhatsApp would not be covered by the ban. The proposal would also require AI chatbot services that offer romantic companion features or simulate intimate relationships to enforce a minimum age of 18. Similar roleplay and intimate features would have to be restricted for under-18s.

Starmer says the government plans to pass the legislation before Christmas this year, which would allow the measures to come into force in early 2027.

It's also worth noting that this announcement comes just days after Apple unveiled a number of new child safety and parental control features across iOS, macOS, and iPadOS — something that we want Google to bring to Android.

So far, none of the major tech companies affected by the proposal have publicly commented on the UK's plans. That said, we expect more responses and developments from both platform operators and regulators in the coming weeks.

What you need to know

• Google's services, including Cloud, Google Search, Gmail, as well as Spotify and more, are experiencing a widespread outage.
• The outage seems to have peaked around 2:30 p.m. ET, with thousands of people reporting issues via DownDetector.
• The outage seems to be ongoing; however, some users report services being restored.

It seems to be a week of outages, as almost all of Google's services, like Gmail, Meet, Search, Nest, and Cloud, were all offline for thousands this afternoon (June 12). Several reports on DownDetector suggested even wider Internet issues, implicating Spotify and Amazon in the mess, although the e-commerce giant tells Android Central that the AWS service was not affected.

According to the outage tracking website DownDetector, all these outages began at around 2 p.m. ET on Thursday afternoon, with the outage peaking at 2:30 p.m. ET. Some speculate that the internet itself was down, taking several services offline. There were more than 13,000 incidents of people reporting issues with Google Cloud by 3:30 pm ET and more than 27,000 reports on Spotify.

The tech giant's incident status page states that there is still an ongoing multi-region outage, but that it has "identified the root cause and applied appropriate mitigations."

The site also states that Google's engineers are aware that customers are still experiencing issues and are actively working on full recovery.

Cloudflare, which provides a wide range of internet services, was also significantly impacted by this outage. However, the company stated that they weren't directly hit by the outage but stated that "a limited number of services at Cloudflare use Google Cloud and were impacted."

Cloudflare's status page states that "All Cloudflare services have been restored and are now fully operational." But it will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Several people reported on DownDetector that they were experiencing disruptions with Amazon and its services. However, despite these reports, Amazon confirmed in an email to Android Central that all of those reports are false concerning AWS and Amazon, stating that "AWS operated normally today, and we continue to operate normally."

According to the Independent, third-party websites that rely on Google’s services have also been affected by this outage. These apps include Snapchat, Discord, and more. The outage of Google Cloud seems to have had a domino effect on the apps that rely on it; however, several users who were experiencing outages are seeing services slowly come back online.

Correction: The previous version of this article stated that Amazon was affected by the recent outage and was among the first services to go offline. However, Amazon states that its operations remained uninterrupted. The article has been corrected to reflect the same.

What you need to know

• Snapchat is highlighting a few updates rolling out today (May 2) and a long-awaited edit button that is still in the works.
• The company states its edit button will let users correct a mistake in a message within five minutes after sending it.
• Several more features arrive today, such as AI-backed Bitmoji clothes, AI reminders, and emoji reactions in Snap Map.

Snapchat highlighted a long-awaited feature that is still in the works while rolling out several new additions to its app today (May 2).

As detailed in a Newsroom post, Snapchat is preparing to bring an edit button to messages. The feature is known as "Editable Chats," which will let users correct a mistake in a message within five minutes after sending it. While exciting, the post states the edit button is "coming soon" and will arrive for Snapchat Plus subscribers before everyone else.

These next few features are rolling out on Snapchat, beginning with "Emoji Reactions." The company states that users can now react to anything on the platform with any emoji they desire. Previously, users could react through their Bitmoji, so this expanded array of options should be handy.

Speaking of Bitmoji, the post adds that the personal little avatars can now benefit from AI. All users need to do is give the AI a quick description of what they'd like their Bitmoji to wear, and it will do the rest. Snapchat states users can give descriptors like "vibrant graffiti" or "skull flower" to the AI.

After, users can tap on what they like to edit before saving it on their Bitmoji.

Map reactions have made their way into the latest update as Snapchat looks to incite conversations between friends sharing their location. The Snap Map will now display a row of suggested emojis above a friend's location box at the bottom. Tapping will send it over, alongside a quick animation. The plus icon is available, just in case users are looking for the perfect emoji to send.

AI continues to slide into Snapchat, and this time, it's through a new "90s AI Lens." The feature works similarly to a filter, however, tapping the 90s AI lens after snapping a photo will apply the unique effect.

Lastly, AI reminders are rolling out. Snapchat states users can lean on My AI whenever they need to remember something in a direct chat or a chat with a friend. Telling the AI to set a reminder for a certain day and time will prompt the bot to create a countdown.

After acknowledging it, My AI will display a quick banner highlighting the date, time, and who's involved.

As the features begin to roll out,  Snapchat indicated that the edit button would take a little longer; however, the company did not give a timeframe for seeing it.

What you need to know

• Instagram has been spotted testing a new AI chatbot that aims to create a "fun and engaging experience" for users.
• The new chatbot will apparently allow users to choose between 30 AI-based personalities.
• Meta has previously talked about how it's working on incorporating generative AI into its products.

A recent leak indicates that Instagram will probably integrate an AI chatbot into the app as others have recently done.

The leak comes from tipster Alessandro Paluzzi (via The Verge), who has shared a screenshot of what appears to be Instagram's splash screen showing "Chat with an AI." 

Based on the screenshot, the new AI chatbot aims to bring a "fun and engaging experience" to Instagram users. The image highlights three significant things the new chatbot can do for users when it officially goes live. It apparently can be used to answer questions besides giving relevant advice to social media app users.

The interesting and unique feature of the alleged chatbot could be an option to choose from a number of different personalities. The leaked splash screen says that users can "chat with 30 AI personalities and find which one you like best."

It could mean users will have an AI-based personality that they can often talk to, share ideas, and ask for advice, which will, in turn, gives replies presumably in a conversational manner.

Paluzzi didn't specify whether the new chatbot is based on ChatGPT, but Zuckerberg has previously stated that Meta is working on generative AI features, including "developing AI personas that can help people in a variety of ways."

Apparently, these generative AI features would come to Meta's apps, such as WhatsApp and Messenger. Zuckerberg also teased the potential to use generative AI on Instagram for things like filters and ad formats.

Instagram is not the first social media app to incorporate an AI chatbot. Snap introduced "My AI" for Snapchat+ users in March. It allows users to do things like brainstorm birthday gifts and ideas for weekend plans, suggest dinner recipes, and more.

•  Phone deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Samsung | Amazon | Verizon | AT&T 

Update (Oct 27 6.45 pm ET): Updated to reflect iOS and Android availability.

What you need to know

• Snap launches Director Mode for Snapchat globally on Android and iOS devices.
• The new feature brings in helpful tools for creators to craft unique snaps that standout.
• Creators can also utilize Snap's Dual Camera feature to create snaps with both their front and back cameras.

Snap has finally launched the long-awaited Director Mode feature for creators on Snapchat.

Snap announces that Director Mode brings a new set of camera and editing tools to Snapchat. The new tools aim to bring an easier experience when polishing content or to even enhance any of those little moments throughout your life that could grab an audience on the platform.

Snapchat's Director Mode is now available globally for users on iOS, although availability is limited on Android phones, where it will roll out fully in the coming months. Users can find its icon in the camera toolbar or by tapping the "Create" button in Spotlight.

As creators open up Director Mode, they'll find a way to seamlessly transform their background with Green Screen mode. The Quick Edit feature lets you take and edit multiple snaps, along with controlling the tempo of your snap with Camera Speed.

Also within Director Mode is Snap's recently launched Dual Camera feature. This lets users utilize both their front-facing camera and the shooter on the back of their phone simultaneously for a snap. While Dual Camera is available globally for iOS devices, this feature will move into limited Android availability in the next few weeks.

Snap states it is "committed to rewarding creators for their contributions - from Spotlight Challenges where Snapchatters in the U.S. can win cash prizes for the best submissions, to the millions of dollars we make available for the top Spotlight Snaps, our 523 accelerator for Black content creators, our mid-roll ad program for Snap Stars and much more."

What you need to know

• Coming in the fall, Snapchat will receive new "Chat Shortcuts" and "Question Stickers" for Stories.
• The web version of Snapchat is now available to all without needing a Snapchat+ subscription.
• iOS 16 devices are also seeing an update rolled out which includes new lock screen widgets.

Snap announced new features hitting Snapchat, bringing a new look to its chat screen and interactive new story stickers.

Snapchat's introduction of its new fall update shows a revamp of its app in a couple of small ways. The first is its new "Chat Shortcuts." Arriving in the fall, the new Chat Shortcuts will appear at the top of your chat tab, making it easier to spot unread chats, missed calls, and the ability to reply to stories. The shortcuts also bring additional functions, such as reminding you of birthdays or giving you a gentle nudge when you've forgotten to respond to someone's message (because no one likes being left on read).

For those times when you just can't decide on an outfit, or maybe you're hosting a questionnaire, Snapchat is getting a new "Question Stickers" tool. These new stickers can be applied to your Snapchat story with a question and a button for people to respond.

Additionally, Snapchat has announced its web version opening to all users today. Just a couple of months ago, Snapchat announced the launch of its web version, but it was exclusive to Snapchat+ members who forked over the $3.99 subscription fee. With Snapchat's web version now available to everyone, users can head to web.snapchat.com, sign in, and enjoy all the bells and whistles of one of the best messaging apps on a computer or laptop without a subscription.

Lastly, available now with iOS 16, Snapchat users can save conversations to their iPhone's lock screen for quick and easy access. Snap says that this new lock screen widget will allow users to keep their conversations visual at all times while keeping the Snapchat Camera close on hand, too.

The new lock screen widgets for iOS 16 are somewhat functionally similar to home screen widgets on Android phones, giving quick access to best friends, messages, and Snapchat's camera. Google's partnership with Snapchat for phones like the Pixel 6 takes it a bit further, letting users double-tap the back of the device to access specific Snapchat features without first opening the app.

Snapchat is among the latest apps to launch iOS 16 lock screen widgets, with Google having recently announced several for the new update.

What you need to know

• The new Dual Camera mode lets users use their front and rear cameras at the same time anywhere in the Snapchat app.
• Users can switch between vertically or horizontally split layouts, picture-in-picture, or even use a cutout of themselves on top of the feed from the rear camera.
• Dual Camera launches on iOS today and on Android phones over the next few months.

Snapchat users, it's time to get excited about a brand new camera mode the company is launching soon! The new dual camera mode will let you simultaneously use both the front and back cameras on your phone to give your friends a better idea of what's going on where you're at, no matter what you're doing. It works everywhere in Snapchat, too, from chats to camera, and even in the Creator Director Mode.

Both front and rear cameras can be shown in two simple split modes — either vertically or horizontally split on your screen — or you can opt overlay your face on top of that rear camera footage with the picture-in-picture or cutout layouts. Cutout uses Snap's more advanced AR back end and will make a proper cutout of you and overlay it on the bottom of the video.

Dual camera mode can be used in conjunction with any of Snap's unique AR lenses, which can add a new layer of fun to your normal Snapchat experience. During a preview session with Snap, the developers showed me a few concepts for AR on dual camera, which included being able to put your face on any object — in this case, the couch in the living room had eyes and a mouth from the person using Snapchat's new dual camera feature.

Dual camera mode can be accessed from the vertical row of camera modes on any supported phone. Despite the fact that Snap is more popular on Android than iOS, that just means iOS devices, but the feature will be coming soon to the best Android phones. The developers cited the fact that lots of Android phones need to be tested before launching a major feature like this, while Apple's devices tend to all be able to run the same things.

Previously, Snap launched night sight on Snapchat, which gives users a way to take better photos and videos in low-light situations. Snapchat's image quality has been substantially boosted over the years as Google and other manufacturers like Samsung build their hardware and software to better support Snap's software, specifically. We'll keep you up to date when the feature officially launches on Android, but you can check out a sneak peek in the video below.

What you need to know

• Snap reportedly axes production on its flying selfie drone, the Pixy.
• The decision comes as Snap Chief Executive Evan Spiegel told staff the company is looking to reprioritize its resources.
• The Pixy drone comes with a 12MP camera, 2.7K recording resolution, and can still be purchased while supplies last.

While Snap was once in a unique spot with its other piece of hardware, the Snap Spectacles, its Pixy drone seemed like a serious effort for the company to expand its hardware efforts. However, Snap is reportedly axing the development of the recently debuted selfie drone, the Pixy.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Snap is scrapping its Pixy drone only four months after its launch. The Wall Street Journal also informs that, from those closest to the situation, Snap has canceled its flying selfie drone as a result of adjustments made in the wake of the recent economic downturn.

Snap chief executive Evan Spiegel apparently broke the news to staff during a simple Q&A meeting where he explained the situation regarding the Pixy drone's canceled development. Spiegel told staff workers, "The effort to halt further development of the project is part of broader reprioritization of company resources."

Snap declined to comment when Android Central reached out for a statement.

The Pixy selfie drone is essentially an affordable and accessible drone option for frequent Snapchatters, bringing an array of recording capabilities to users on Android and iOS. It had the ability to fly around, keep up with the subject in question, and upload that video directly to Snapchat Memories. The tiny yellow drone features a 12MP camera, and videos can be recorded in 2.7K resolution. Videos of the drone in action showed it hovering over your hand, spending some time recording, before lowering back down into your palm.

When launching Pixy, Snap also announced plans to bring a Director Mode to the app, which would allow users to get more creative when editing videos. The mode brings new capture and editing tools to its Snapchat app, which users could likely apply to videos captured with the drone.

The alleged cancellation of Pixy comes just after Spotify scrapped its Car Thing and not long after Meta decided to shift its Portal devices to enterprise products instead of consumer devices, highlighting the detrimental effects the economy has had on companies' hardware plans.

For now, you are still able to purchase a Pixy drone from Snap. Ideally, this will be the case while supplies last for $249.99.

Love it or hate it, Snapchat is an incredibly popular social media app, mainly due to disappearing messages that allow users to send text, images, and videos that expire after a period of time. However, Snapchat isn't perfect, and at one time had quite a bad reputation on Android phones. Fortunately, both the app and Google have been working to fix that, and one way is to bring the Pixel's impressive Night Sight feature to the app.

In March, Google announced that Night Sight was coming to Snapchat on the Pixel 6 series. This means users can brighten up their low-light images so they're clearer and less grainy. The feature has been available for some time now, but we've got you covered if you're unsure how to use it.

How to activate Night Sight on Snapchat

1. Open Snapchat. 

2. In the top right corner, click the moon icon.

3. The icon will toggle on, and you'll notice the image coming from the viewfinder getting brighter. Tap the circle at the bottom to capture your image. You'll have to hold the phone still for a few seconds as the phone gathers light and saves the image.

4. Once the image is captured, you can edit and share it to your heart's content.

Furthermore, you can also use this feature to brighten up videos captured through the app, making it extremely useful for frequent Snapchatters.

Fortunately, this mode isn't exactly exclusive to the Pixel 6 series. Some of Samsung's best Android phones also have this feature on Snapchat, although it appears to be somewhat limited. For example, it's present on our Galaxy S22 models but isn't available on our S21 or Note 20 models. It also doesn't seem to be available for older Pixel smartphones, meaning you'll likely need the latest and greatest from Google to take advantage of this feature.

What you need to know

• Snapchat has launched a web app that includes its core features on mobile.
• Snapchat for the web is available only to paid subscribers in selected countries for now.
• It supports chat reactions and reply, with AR Lenses rolling out soon. 

Snapchat is expanding beyond smartphones. Today, Snap announced that Snapchat is available on the web to let users send pictures and chat with friends through video calls.

The web app brings with it a bunch of features that elevate Snapchat to one of the best messaging apps on mobile, including voice and video calling capabilities. It also ensures an uninterrupted chat experience by allowing you to start a chat on your smartphone and then continue the conversation where you left off on your PC. 

However, Snapchat for the web is only accessible to Snapchat+ subscribers. This means you won't be able to open the service on your desktop unless you pay $3.99 per month.

Snapchat+ was launched in June to diversify the platform's revenue streams beyond ads. The web app marks the first time that Snap has introduced an exclusive feature for subscribers.

"With more than 100 million Snapchatters using our voice and video calling each month on average, we’re excited to offer a new way for our community to keep conversations going on their computers, where they’re already working, learning, and browsing," the company said in a blog post.

Like its mobile version, the web app also supports chat reactions and replies. Snap has promised to bring support for AR Lenses soon. To properly represent the device you're using to access the service, your Bitmoji will be accompanied by a laptop icon. In the future, Snap plans to add the ability to view Stories and Memories on desktop.

Snapchat+ subscribers in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada can now access the service's web interface by going to web.snapchat.com on Google Chrome. TechCrunch reports that it will also make its way to France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates before eventually going global for all users.

What you need to know

• Snap has hired outgoing Secret Service chief James Murray as its chief security officer.
• Murray will join the company next month, reporting directly to CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel.
• He is set to retire from his post at the end of this month.

Secret Service chief James Murray is joining Snap Inc. in August as a chief security officer, reporting directly to CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel.

According to The Washington Post, Murray is set to retire from the Secret Service on July 30 after a 27-year career with the agency. Snap, the parent firm of Snapchat, has confirmed to Variety that it has hired Murray.

"We’re thrilled to welcome Jim Murray to Snap and look forward to him joining our team on August 1," a Snap spokesperson said in a statement. "Jim will bring a wealth of experience to this new role, which will help ensure the safety and security of the more than 5,000 Snap employees who live and work across the globe."

Last week, the Secret Service announced Murray's imminent retirement from the agency, where he served as chief executive since May 1, 2019.

"Since the Spring of 2019, Director Murray successfully guided the agency through eight National Special Security Events and nearly 20,000 international and domestic protective operations," the agency said in a press release. "During that time, the agency also recovered approximately $4.2B in fraud loss and prevented an estimated $8.1B in additional losses at the hands of criminal enterprise."

Murray's retirement marks a culmination of his 32-year service to the government.

The agency also praised its outgoing chief for his efforts to "navigate the unique challenges presented by the historic COVID-19 pandemic, throughout which the agency continued executing its integrated mission of providing protection to senior elected leaders and investigating crimes targeting our financial infrastructure."

What you need to know

• Snapchat+ is a new subscription service for the messaging platform.
• It brings in some exclusive and experimental features to the social media app.
• The subscription service will still include ads, as they're core to Snapchat's business.
• The premium tier costs $3.99 per month.

After eleven years since Snapchat's inception, the company has announced a new subscription service of the platform called Snapchat+.

The new tier will start at $3.99 per month and will be available at launch in select regions like the U.S, Canada, the U.K, and France, to name a few. Snap plans to introduce the latest subscription service in other markets over time, the company says in a blog post.

Snapchat+ brings in a collection of exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features for its users to try out and enjoy. Further, the new premium tier also offers prioritized customer support for those in need.

Jacob Andreou, Snapchat's SVP of Product, provided additional details with The Verge, shedding some light on the new subscription service. The Plus tier is seemingly the first attempt from the company to generate revenue aside from advertising. However, Andreou has noted that the subscription doesn't make the ads go away as it happens to be the core business for Snapchat.

Some new features that users can look forward to are the ability to change the app's icon and even view the users that rewatched your story. Furthermore, users can pin a "#1 BFF" to their conversation history.

Snapchat isn't the first social platform to launch a subscription service of this kind. Twitter Blue launched in 2021, giving users access to select experimental features before anyone else. Telegram also has a new premium subscription service that does more or less the same.

With over 332 million active users on the platform worldwide, Snapchat seems enthusiastic about the new service and suggests it is open to users' feedback on the Snapchat+ subscription model.

You can get started by hitting the Snapchat+ button that appears on your profile.

What you need to know

• Snapchat appears to be testing a new subscription tier called Snapchat Plus.
• The paid tier will give subscribers access to exclusive and pre-release features.
• It will apparently cost €4.59 a month or €45.99 per year.

Snap Inc., the company behind Snapchat, appears to be making inroads into the paid subscription business. The company is apparently testing a paid tier of its instant messaging and social networking app, called Snapchat Plus.

According to mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi, who first spotted the internal testing, Snapchat Plus will give subscribers early access to "exclusive, experimental and pre-release features." Snap confirmed to The Verge that it's testing a paid model of its service.

Snapchat Plus is essentially a Telegram Premium rival that will give subscribers the chance to get their hands on upcoming features before they are released. Snap did not go into detail about the capabilities that will require a subscription. That said, Paluzzi has shared some of the headline premium features.

Perhaps the most notable one is the ability to pin one of their friends to the top of their profile, labeled as their #1 BFF. As The Verge noted, this is reminiscent of the "Top 8 Friends" list on MySpace.

Snapchat Plus will also give you access to exclusive icons and the ability to see how many friends have rewatched your story in the last 24 hours. You can select from a variety of icons, including those with plain background colors and those with your country's flags, among others.

You can also track your friends' whereabouts within the last 24 hours, assuming they've shared their location with you.

Paying for Snapchat Plus also adds an extra badge to your profile to let other users know you're a paid subscriber, but it doesn't grant you verified status like Twitter's blue checkmark.

According to screenshots shared by Paluzzi, these features will be available only to those willing to pay €4.59 (approximately $4.83) per month or €45.99 ($48.41) per year. However, the price may change when Snap announces the subscription plan.

With the new paid tier, Snap appears to be following in the footsteps of other social platforms that have recently dabbled in subscription models. Twitter, for example, launched Blue last year to provide subscribers with early access to new features before they are available to the general public. Telegram has also recently introduced a new premium membership tier.

The goal is simple: find new ways to make money. Increased restrictions on how social platforms serve ads appear to be driving the growing trend of charging users for premium features. Locking these features behind a subscription is now becoming a viable option.

What you need to know

• Snap has launched its first drone, dubbed Pixy.
• Snap Pixy can float and follow the subject, saving videos directly to Snapchat Memories.
• Snapchat is also receiving a new Director Mode on iOS and later this year on Android.

While we thought the Snap Spectacles were weird, the company behind them has a new product that looks a bit more compelling — its first drone, dubbed "Snap Pixy."

It's a cute name for a rather cute device. Snap Pixy is a small, yellow drone fitted with a 12MP camera that you can use to take aesthetic photos and videos (shot in 2.7K resolution) of yourself without needing to bother someone else to do it for you. It can hover right off your hand, start recording for a bit, then float right back down to your outstretched hand.

Snap Pixy doesn't come with a controller like you'd find on even the best drones for kids. Instead, it has a dial on top that will direct it to a set of preprogrammed flight patterns allowing it to capture you and some friends or you against a wider landscape, and it can even follow or circle you.

The drone features 16GB of internal storage for plenty of images and videos, but these will automatically sync to your Snapchat Memories, where you can apply Pixy-specific edits.

According to Snap, the battery can afford you 5 to 8 flights per charge. The drone features fast charging for 80% capacity in just 20 minutes or a full 100% in 40 minutes. Snap is also selling additional battery packs and chargers for the drone.

Snap Pixy is available in the U.S. and France and retails for $230. You can purchase it directly from the Pixy website, although it's not expected to ship for 11 or 12 weeks.

In addition to Pixy, Snap also announced a new feature arriving soon on mobile devices. Director Mode brings a new set of capture and editing tools to allow Snapchat users to take more control over their posts. This includes a dual capture mode, Camera Speed to make videos faster or slower, Green Screen mode to add backgrounds to your video, and Quick Edit to stitch multiple snaps together.

Director Mode will be available on iOS "in the coming months," while Android phones will have to wait until later this year.

What you need to know

• Snapchat's latest update makes it easier to share YouTube videos.
• Sharing a YouTube video on Snapchat will invlude a visual link in the camera viewfinder.
• The feature has already started rolling out on iOS and Android smartphones.

Snapchat already has plenty of video content to entertain its users, but now the app is expanding to bring in YouTube content — sort of.

In an update announced Thursday (no, not on April Fools' Day), Snap announced that it is linking up with YouTube to bring visual links of your favorite videos to the Snapchat camera. This way, you can easily share your favorite videos for everyone to check out.

To get started, open up the YouTube app on an iOS or Android phone. If you find one you particularly like, you can hit the share button and tap on the Snapchat icon. Doing so will automatically take you to the Snapchat Camera with a visual link of the video that you can move around in the viewfinder.

Anyone that taps the sticker will be able to view the video either in the YouTube app or mobile browser.

"More than 2 billion logged-in users visit YouTube every month to tune into videos that help them find new music, learn different skills, catch up on news, and discover more about the world around them.

With this new integration, we're making it easier than ever for these viewers to send their favorite clips and videos right where they are already talking with their friends on Snapchat."

The feature began rolling out on Thursday and should be available on iOS and the best Android phones.

The update arrives just as Snapchat rival Instagram upgrades its own messaging with several new features. Instagram now makes it easier to share posts, respond to messages, and more. Soon, users will be able to share music previews in threads with Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music integration.

Update 3/21/22 4:00 PM ET: Google rolls out the March update to the Pixel 6 series following a two-week wait.

What you need to know

• Google releases the March feature drop for its Pixel series smartphones.
• The update brings Night Sight to Snapchat, Live Caption for calls, custom stickers in Gboard, and more.
• The update first arrived on devices up to the Pixel 5. On March 21, the OTA update has been made available for the Pixel 6 series.
• The update also includes C-Band support for Pixel 6 devices on Verizon.

It's March, which means it's time for another Pixel feature drop. The latest update begins rolling out to Pixel devices on Monday, bringing along several new features, including new imaging capabilities for Snapchat. The update also makes it easier for users to communicate with updates to Live Caption and Live Translate.

Night Sight comes to Snapchat

Last year, Google made it easier to access Snapchat with the new Quick Tap to Snap feature, and now Google is following up by bringing Pixel's Night Sight to Snapchat as well. With the new feature drop on the Pixel 6 series, you can now select the low-light mode on Snapchat to brighten up both images and video.

Samsung recently announced that it's bringing a ton of its camera features to Snapchat, including Night Mode, so it's good to see the Pixel's best camera feature arriving on Snapchat as well.

Communicate better with Gboard and Live Caption/Translate

Live Caption is an impressive accessibility feature on the best Android phones, and with the March update, it's getting even better. Google is bringing Live Caption to phone calls, making it easier to communicate for users who cannot speak.

When on a phone call, use the volume button and select the Live Caption icon to enable the feature. It will transcribe what the person on the other end is saying, and it will speak your response aloud. It also includes quick responses.

Google is also improving Live Translate for the Pixel 6 series with better support for the Spanish language, such as with Interpreter Mode. Users can also enable the feature for Spanish-language videos and other types of media to be automatically translated into English, French, German, Italian, and Japanese (beta).

Gboard is already pretty handy at figuring out what emoji you might want to use based on the words you type and can even make them better with Emoji kitchen. Now, Gboard can take those exact words and turn them into custom stickers to fit the occasion — something your friends and family may be able to appreciate.

For now, Message Stickers will be available globally for anyone typing in English, although its unclear if this will be expanded to other languages.

More information At a Glance

Google has been hard at work making more information readily available from the At a Glance widgets on Pixel smartphones. The widget was recently updated to include bedtime information, fitness activity, and more. Now, Google is making even more information available, including earthquake alerts and reminders to turn off any alarms if there's a holiday coming up. It will also integrate with the Personal Safety app to enable a safety check countdown.

Google is also making it easier to check the battery levels of your Pixel Buds and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. Not only is this information available on the At a Glance widget, but Google is launching a brand new Battery widget for up-to-date battery life information.

Other updates

Some other features are receiving more minor updates, such as Direct My Call and Wait Times, which are arriving on devices such as the Pixel 3a and newer. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are also able to transcribe in Italian and Spanish using the Recorder app, and Assistant Quick Phrases are not available in Spanish, Italian and French.

Google is also launching new Curated Culture wallpapers created by UK-based artist Manjit Thapp to celebrate International Women's Day.

Lastly, Google is highlighting Duo's new Live Sharing feature that was announced alongside the Galaxy S22, giving users the option to host watch parties with YouTube and other apps.

These features will be rolling out to Pixel devices from the Pixel 3a to the Pixel 5a starting Monday. Unfortunately, owners of the Pixel 6 series will have to wait for their update, which will arrive "later this month." Hopefully, this rollout goes much smoother than the last feature drop that came to the Pixel 6 series.

Update

Google has finally made the March feature drop available for the Pixel 6 series. This comes a week after Snapchat was updated to include support for Night Sight on Google's latest flagships. The update also comes with plenty of bug fixes from the March security patch, which should hopefully make your phone run smoothly.

One notable update comes in the form of C-Band support for Pixel 6 devices on Verizon, giving users access to the highly-coveted spectrum. However, C-Band access isn't coming to older Pixel smartphones, at least not in the U.S.

The update is also based on Android 12L, which will arrive on larger-screen devices later this year. Your Pixel 6 should notify you when the OTA update is available, but you can always check manually in your settings.

What you need to know

• Snapchat on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro is getting a dedicated Night Sight mode.
• Night Sight will capture better photos in low light situations, but you'll need to switch to it before snapping a photo.
• Snapchat Night Sight was announced as part of the March 2022 Pixel Feature Drop.

If you're a Pixel 6 owner who likes to Snap in the dark, a brand new Night Sight mode is about to make your photos look a whole lot better than before. Night Sight is now rolling out to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones everywhere via Pixel Camera Services, a system app that allows apps like Snapchat to take advantage of the powerful camera hardware Google built into its Tensor processor on the Pixel 6.

You'll know you have the update if you see a little moon icon on the Snapchat viewfinder screen. You can activate Night Sight by tapping this moon, then taking a photo with the normal shutter button. Night Sight only works for photos though, so there's no video enhancement with this particular update.

Snapchat Night Sight mode was originally announced as part of the March 2022 Pixel Feature Drop, however, the Pixel 6 has yet to receive this update. XDA Developers reported that the Pixel Camera Services app was being updated independently of the March 2022 update, which brings about the new Night Sight feature without having to wait for the wider update.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 family also already has this Night Sight feature in Snapchat, making these phones some of the best Android camera phones for frequent Snapchatters. Pixel 6 owners should expect the larger March update to roll out later this month.

If you're the proud owner of a Pixel 4a with 5G, a Pixel 5, a Pixel 6, or a Pixel 6 Pro, your phone is now integrated even more deeply with Snapchat than ever before. Thanks to Google's December 2021 update, Pixel owners with the back tap feature can now quickly get to their favorite part of Snapchat without having to first unlock the device and scroll through your apps. They're some of the best Android smartphones you can buy for a reason.

How to use quick tap to Snapchat

Your Pixel 4a with 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 6, or Pixel 6 Pro comes equipped with a special sensor on the back that can detect a double-tap. This double-tap works like a button and can be programmed to perform several different actions, including launching Snapchat. Here's how to configure it.

1. Make sure you have the Snapchat app installed and are logged in with your account.
2. Open system settings by pulling down the notification shade twice and clicking the settings gear.
3. Scroll down the list and select system.
4. Select gestures from the next screen.
5. Select quick tap on the next screen**.

1. Ensure that quick tap is enabled by sliding the selector to the right.
2. Choose open app as the quick tap option, then click the settings gear next to it.
3. Scroll down and select Snapchat from the list.
4. By default, this selection will open Snapchat's home/snap screen.
5. To choose another part of Snapchat to open first, select the settings gear next to Snapchat and then select from open app, stories, map, chat, or spotlight as your starting place when you tap to Snap.

1. The first time you perform the double-tap gesture on the back of your Pixel, Snapchat will confirm that you want to use the Tap to Snap feature. Select get started in Snapchat when the pop-up appears.

Snapping on your Pixel has never been easier, and you don't have to open the main Snapchat screen either. Tap to Snap integrates deeply with Snapchat, which means tapping can bring you to one of five different parts of the Snapchat app with a simple double-tap on the back of your phone.

Google's partnership with Snapchat will "propel the Pixel 6" to success, experts say, adding that not only will it entice younger users to the new line of phones, but it will help Google shape its augmented reality strategy.

The new Pixel 6 lineup will allow users to share photos to Snapchat with two taps, using the feature "Quick Tap to Snap." This will allow users to tap the back of their phone to open the Snapchat camera directly from the lock screen. It's worth noting that Quick Tap was previously announced with Android 12 and lets users set the feature to do different actions like take a screenshot or open a select app. This partnership with a third-party, however, is new, Google says.

The new phones, which are some of the best Android phones, are now available to the public.

During Google's announcement last week, Snap's CEO Evan Spiegel said, "for Snapchatters, speed matters."

"Billions of Snaps are created every day, and our community wants to be ready to Snap everyday moments, as they happen," he said.

The partnership will also have extra augmented-reality lenses, which will integrate some Google features like live translation.

Anshel Sag, senior analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, says in an interview that the partnership will be the biggest reason why many people will be excited about Google's new phones and will be the reason for why it will see success.

"It might be the biggest thing that might propel the Pixel 6 to success," he says. "Being able to capture and post so quickly is a big reason why so many Snapchat users use the iPhone, But I think that Snapchat is smart to do what they can to diversify their user base away from being so Apple dominant. Additionally, I could see Google giving Snapchat more access to their phones as they are hungrier to grow the userbase."

There are over 280 million people using Snapchat daily, and 38% are located in the U.S., according to the Business of Apps. It adds that the company generated $2.5 billion in revenue in 2020, a 47% year-over-year increase, and the company's stock increased by over 350% from 2020 to 2021.

Sag notes that the announcement was surprising but that "Google is smart to partner with Snap on Snapchat integration, and I'm curious to see where this partnership may go in the future."

On Twitter, Sag notes that the feature didn't initially work for him in the first few days of testing it out, but then it started working later. He says in his tweet that Google should work on the reliability of Quick Tap, but overall the experience was really good to the extent that it might even bring users back to using Snapchat more.

"Speaking of @Snap, the #Pixel6 is the first time I have EVER enjoyed using @Snapchat on #Android. Not just that, but it actually feels like a first-class experience and image quality is impeccable as is video and zooming. Overall, makes me want to use it a LOT more," he writes.

Jitesh Ubrani, IDC's research manager of worldwide device trackers, agrees with Sag, noting that not only is this partnership smart but that the crowd that it will drive-in is the young audience that Google needs.

"It's a good move from a marketing perspective as many young consumers will hopefully be exposed to the Pixel brand through Snap's marketing," he says.

Mishaal Rahman, senior technical editor at Esper and former editor-in-chief of XDA Developers, notes in an interview that it's a great marketing strategy, especially if Google wants to get on the same level as Samsung and Apple.

"If Google is indeed serious about competing directly with Samsung and Apple, then targeting younger users who are found in droves on Snapchat is a worthwhile strategy to pursue," he says. "How effective it'll actually be, remains to be seen."

Google wants to focus on AR and this is the right move to do so

Sag says that the partnership is especially smart by Google as the company paves its way further into AR.

"[Snapchat] is technically the only ones actually shipping AR glasses," he says, adding that Snapchat has been thriving in the last year or two with some of its partnerships to expand the use of its AR.

"Everything I have seen out of Snapchat in the last year points towards the company really having a clear vision for the future and how crucial AR and AI will be to enabling that vision," he says.

The company partnered with dating app Bumble so its users can send video notes with matches using Snapchat AR products. Snap has also partnered with Walt Disney to let tourists at Walt Disney World utilize Snap AR experiences in their visits and photos.

"I think it will be positive for Snapchat because they can diversify their user base and attach themselves to a pretty interesting product line with the Pixel 6 and enable new features that they can't do on platforms like the iPhone," he says.

There's a reason why Google didn't partner with Facebook

Sag adds that because Google wants to get deeper into AR, it is likely they didn't partner with Facebook or Facebook's Instagram because of competition.

"Instagram is far too entwined with Facebook, and frankly, Instagram is losing popularity, much like Facebook. Snapchat and TikTok are both growing in popularity, and that's where the majority of new and interesting content is today," he says. "While I do think that TikTok would be a good partner, if Google wants to grow its influence in AR, they would be best to partner with Snap."

Facebook is also in a lot of hot water embroiled in a mix of different controversies that have brought the company's reputation down.

Rahman notes that Google is likely aware of this but it's probably not why Google didn't partner with Facebook.

"I'm certain that marketing executives/the marketing team at Pixel discussed the optics of partnering with Instagram/Facebook, but I don't believe the current controversy dissuaded them from pursuing a joint announcement/partnership," he says. "We don't know how far, if at all, discussions went between the two companies."

Sag agrees that it was less about Facebook's current reputation circling back on the fact that Facebook is more of a competitor.

Facebook is expected to make some big changes on October 28 with respect to plans to get deeper into AR and VR. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been hyping up the metaverse lately, trying to pull investors into his vision for the future of connectivity with one another and interactivity with the real world. The company also partnered with Ray-Ban to bring a pair of connected smart glasses.

What you need to know

• Snapchat appeared to be down for many users across North America.
• The outage likely stemmed from AWS, which powers many of the platforms that went down.
• Several other services were reportedly down, including Zoom, Amazon Alexa, and more.

Snapchat and several other platforms were reportedly down across North America, but the problem appears largely resolved.

Many Snapchat users were reportedly unable to sign in or kept getting logged out of the app. The problem appeared to stem from Amazon Web Services (AWS), which also suffered from increasing outages and also powers many of the affected platforms.

One of the affected platforms was Zoom. According to Down Detector, one of the best teleconferencing apps on Android also experienced an increasing number of outages as a result.

The official Zoom status page indicates that the platform experienced degraded performance in meetings and video webinars. The company states that it has identified a network problem and has resolved any problems with video calls.

Meanwhile, the official AWS status page indicates that the service had experienced some sign-in problems, which may have affected the other sites. The network appears to be back in tip-top shape:

The outage comes just a day after a Fastly outage took down many popular websites, including Amazon, CNN, Reddit, Spotify, and more.

Meanwhile, Snapchat and other affected services also appear to be back in working order, although this may serve as a lesson about how fickle cloud services can be.

What you need to know

• Snapchat presented its first-quarter results with some interesting revelations.
• The company reported more active users on Android than iOS.
• Snapchat was rebuilt in 2019 for Android after users started leaving the platform for its sub-par app.

How the tides have turned. Android users once heavily criticized Snapchat for the poor performance of the app. The experience didn't quite have the same quality as the iOS app, which caused owners of the best Android phones to leave the platform in swaths. Things changed when the company launched the rebuilt app in 2019, and Snap's latest financial results show just how popular the app has become for Android users.

According to Snap, the first quarter of 2021 saw more daily active users accessing the app from Android than on iOS. Not only that, but the number of total daily active users increased 22% year-over-year to 280 million, which Snap and CEO Evan Spiegel contributed in part to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and Snap's investments in new content:

As Spiegel notes, most smartphones globally are powered by Android, and companies like Samsung and Qualcomm have invested heavily in bringing 5G to more affordable price points. More of the best cheap Android phones are being launched with 5G connectivity, like the recently launched Samsung Galaxy A52, which makes multimedia apps like Snapchat more accessible.

Meanwhile, another popular application, Clubhouse, is still yet to build an Android app, even though companies like Facebook and Twitter are beating it to the bunch by adding similar features on their own respective platforms. Perhaps Snapchat's impressive growth will push it to speed up investment in the Android ecosystem, but we won't hold out breath.

What you need to know

• Snapchat has joined other major social media companies in banning President Trump.
• The president had been accused of using his social media presence to incite violence.
• Snapchat had previously suspended him indefinitely but decided to ban him in view of his long term conduct.

The social media backlash against President Trump following the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol continues this week as Snapchat has now banned the President's account permanently. Previously, it was suspended indefinitely.

Speaking to CNN, a a Snap spokesperson said:

The outgoing President has seen his social media reach limited, with mainstays like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter banning him. Trump had previously broken the terms of service of each of these apps multiple times, but the companies retroactively amended their policies to give leaders a bit more flexibility. In contrast, TikTok issued a pre-emptive ban on the president, restricting him from establishing a presence on the app he had previously tried to ban.

Not everyone sees these moves as a good thing. German chancellor Angela Merkel commented to the Financial Times that she found the de-platforming of the President worrying, preferring that such decisions be made by a government agency instead. It's worth noting that such a move would be problematic to execute within the U.S.'s legal framework as a result of the First Amendment.

What you need to know

• Snap today launched Spotlight, a new short-story format inspired by TikTok.
• The company is also offering a "share of more than $1 million" to creators who post good content.
• Spotlight is rolling out today in a few countries including the U.S., UK, France, and Canada, among others. It'll hit other countries "soon."

Snap is taking a leaf from TikTok's playbook as it launches Spotlight, a new space in the Snapchat app where users can find an endless scrolling stream of short-form video content.

Like TikTok and its competitors from Google and Facebook, the company will use an algorithm to recommend content it thinks you'd be interested in, keeping the endless scrolling feeling like it's truly endless — at least in theory. Snap is also adding new tools to help creators shoot engaging videos. It's improving caption support, adding a new continuous shooting mode for longer video content, and now lets users trim singular Snaps.

Snap is doing things differently from TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram though. The company prides itself on privacy, and it's building Spotlight with that in mind. You won't see likes or comments on Spotlight content, nor will you be able to follow most profiles. As you can do on regular Snapchat though, public profiles — the kind used by influencers and celebrities — can still be followed for regular updates.

Of course, one could argue that the lack of the engagement and feedback that come with TikTok and Reels could dull the appeal of Spotlight for creators. Snap is offering a fairly convincing counterargument — cold hard cash. "Submit your best video Snaps to Spotlight for the opportunity to earn a share of more than $1 million that we're distributing to creators every day!" the company broadcasts both in the app and in the announcement. Axios notes that Snap will only reward original posters, so users who reupload viral content will not be rewarded from this pool of cash.

Spotlight is live in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and France. Snap will roll it out in more countries "soon."

Snapchat has been a source of inspiration for social media apps, from stories to ephemeral photos, it's safe to say the app has lost its core USP to competitors. That said, it's not like the company doesn't have a winning strategy. The company still performs strongly among its target 13-24 demographic, and its earnings reports show consistent YoY growth. The addition of sticky features like Spotlight may help further its continued growth.

Snapchat

Despite inevitable feature creep, Snapchat still remains good at its core functionaility, sharing forgettable images with friends quickly.

• See at Play Store
• See at App Store

Even though Snapchat is an encrypted messaging app, it's still possible for the social networking giant to track the whereabouts of users via the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Snapchat Maps, which is an optional functionality that enables users to find out where their friends are, is one of the app's headline features. But it's also a huge security and privacy risk due to the use of GPS.

Luckily, if you're concerned about third-parties spying on your whereabouts or simply want to make others believe that you're somewhere else, you can spoof your location for the Android version of Snapchat.

In order to change your physical location on Snapchat, you'll have to download one of the best VPNs. Currently, Surfshark is the only provider that has a built-in fake GPS feature which will enable you to change your location on Snapchat. Read on to find out more about location spoofing and the steps you'll need to take to set it up.

What is location spoofing?

There are a number of different ways that websites and applications track your location. By default, websites and applications can find out where you're based by looking at your IP address.

But with a VPN service, you can hide your IP address and stop third-parties from tracking your location. Unfortunately, though, lots of apps can still access physical location data by using a technology called GPS. The only way to stop this is by creating a fake GPS location, which is something you can do via Surfshark's Android app.

"The feature's working principle is straightforward: when the GPS spoofing is activated, any app's request to access the user's physical coordinates will be overridden by the coordinates of the selected VPN server," explains Surfshark in its description of location spoofing.

"To illustrate this, a web service that wants to access the user's GPS data will see that the user is, for instance, in the US instead of its real location, the UK."

Why fake your location on Snapchat?

Like many other apps, Snapchat can find out your location via GPS (even when you don't want this to happen). The best way to avoid this - and ultimately improve your online privacy - is by creating a fake location.

As well as the serious issue of privacy, there's another reason why you might want to use a fake GPS on Snapchat - and that's to change your location on Snapchat Maps. So if you want people to think you're in France, you can do just that. It's more fun than serious, to be honest. GPS spoofing will also enable you to access Snapchat features and filters that can only be accessed in a certain country or region.

We are not able to guarantee that this won't result in any actions being taken against your account from Snapchat. Please use this method with caution and make sure you consider the potential risks.

How to fake your Snapchat location

Using Surfshark to spoof your location on Snapchat is pretty simple and won't take too long. Here are the things you need to do.

1. Head over to surfshark.com and sign up for a subscription.
2. Once you've chosen a subscription, you'll need to go to the Google Play Store and download the Surfshark app.
3. While it's downloading, go to the settings of your Android device and click About Phone.
4. Within this section, look for Build Number and press it seven times. Your phone will now be in Developer Mode.
5. Now that Developer Mode has been activated, go back to the main settings page and click on Developer Options. In here, you need to activate Mock Location Apps and choose Surfshark in the list of apps.
6. All the correct settings should now be up and running, but you'll need to download another piece of software called Mock Mock Locations. This ensures that Snapchat doesn't detect that you've enabled Mock Locations on your device.
7. Finally, open up Surfshark, connect to a server in any part of the world and go to Snapchat. Your location will now be spoofed.

Be sure to check out our full Surfshark VPN review now to learn more about the service and to help you get started with using it.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:

1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).

2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

What you need to know

• Netflix engineer Cameron Hunter has created a video lens that uses gestures to show comic-book style messages.
• Hunter made the lens using Snap's Lens Studio.
• You can use the lens Google Meet, Google Hangout, Zoom, and Skype.

Like it or not, video calls have become a part of our daily lives due to the coronavirus pandemic. One of the most frustrating things in video meetings is to briefly unmute your microphone to tell someone you agree with them. To make this easier, Netflix engineer Cameron Hunter has created a video lens that can detect hand gestures and display comic-book style messages on the screen.

The lens displays a total of eight gestures: "Yes" (thumbs up), "No" (thumbs down), "Hello" (open palm), "Awesome" (the sign of the horns), "Goodbye" (peace sign), "Question" (index finger pointing up), "Ha ha ha ha" (laughing), and "I'll be right back" (moving away from the frame).

Hunter created the lens using Snap's Lens Studio. Although he had made the lens only for his personal use, it received enormous support on Twitter and can now be installed by anyone. To get started, install Snap Camera on your PC or Mac and add the lens. The lens is compatible with nearly all popular video conferencing services out there, including Google Hangout, Google Meet, Zoom, and Skype.

Speaking to Mashable, Hunted said:

Hunted added that he is hoping to add more gestures to the lens eventually.

How to disable the Google Meet tab in Gmail for Android

What you need to know

• Snapchat is taking a stand against President Trump.
• It says it will no longer promote his content on the Discover platform.
• In a statement, Snapchat said it would "not amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice".

Snapchat is no longer actively promoting President Donald Trump on its Discover platform.

As reported by The Verge:

As mentioned, RealDonaldTrump is not being suppressed or removed, simply not promoted to the app's discovery page. In a statement the company said:

The President has over 1.5 million followers on Snapchat, and his following has reportedly tripled over the last 12 months thanks to regular promotion in the app's Discover tab. Snapchat is not the first social media platform to shift its stance on the President's social media activity. After some of the President's tweets were labeled by Twitter, one as misleading, the other as threatening violence, the President threatened social media companies with an executive order, a move which thankfully, faces plenty of roadblocks.

Snapchat sent a message from CEO Evan Spiegel to all employees Sunday, stating that it condemned racial violence. Snapchat said, "we simply cannot promote accounts in America that are linked to people who incite racial violence" whether they did so on Snapchat or elsewhere. The decision to remove the President's account from Discover was reportedly made after the president threatened to greet protestors with "the most vicious dogs and ominous weapons, I have ever seen".

In a statement Brad Parscale, Trump's campaign chairman said Snapchat was trying to "rig the 2020 election, illegally using their corporate funding to promote Joe Biden and suppress President Trump":

Joe Biden also took to Snapchat to say he was "proud" to be running for President and still be on Snapchat.

A lot of people love apps like Snapchat and Instagram. A lot of those same people hate Snapchat or Instagram when they check out the quality of photos and video the apps upload. And most of them are using an Android phone.

It can be pretty frustrating when you see just how good the camera on your phone is compared to the quality your friends and followers see when you upload a video, but know that you or your phone probably aren't to blame. It's just a case where there isn't enough development time to make everything perfect.

Software development is hard

There are a lot of people working on super-popular apps like Instagram and Snapchat. When your app does so many things, like capture video, play video, upload video, and then do all the social interaction "stuff," you need plenty of talented people developing it.

When you add hundreds of different phones with hundreds of different cameras and hundreds of different screen sizes and resolutions, it can seem impossible. With Android, that's what you have. Developers have a particular set of rules and instructions about how to use the camera in iOS because there are so few models, and Apple does the work of making a set of rules that work on all of them.

That's not how Android works. If you want a big phone with a big screen, you have plenty of choices from plenty of companies. The same goes if you want a smaller phone or a cheap phone or an ultra-high resolution phone. Android is software that works on many things, while iOS is software that works on just a few things that all come from the same company.

The Best Android Phones in 2020

That means that there are countless different camera setups that Snapchat and Instagram need to support. And they could offer the same level of quality and support that is there for iOS if they wanted to, but that would mean hiring a lot more people and taking a lot more time.

Google learned this early in Android's life: developers either can't or don't want to support many models of phones with many different camera setups. The solution was to offer a bare minimum level of support that works with every phone. Your new Galaxy S20 might have a spectacular camera, but with none of the extra features and none of the automatic control that Samsung built into it available, you get that bare minimum. And it shows.

Google is trying

Let's take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. That camera may have turned out to be a bit of a disappointment when it comes to the loooong zoom, but one thing is certain — the base Android 10 camera APIs are not going to cut it when it comes to using those features.

That's because Android just doesn't have those kinds of camera features built into it, and Samsung had to do the work itself. That means any app that tries to use the camera either has to have access to all of Samsung's stuff or stick with the basic Android camera features. This is why things like the Moment Pro Camera app for Android get discontinued — the developers just can't make it all work.

More: Google is trying to fix Android camera apps but it's not going to work

Google knows that a bare minimum camera API doesn't cut it any longer, and it has released what it calls the Camera X Jetpack library. This would allow for any company which makes phones offer third-party apps like Instagram or Snapchat to use the camera features it has built.

It's a good attempt at a fix, and because of how Android works, where any company can alter much of the original Android code, it's the only solution Google has short of forcing companies like Samsung to stick with the basic Android camera feature set. Since Google can't or won't do that, we're in this pickle.

And unfortunately, Google's efforts will probably be in vain. Samsung isn't about to open up its secret camera sauce for anyone else to use, and Google isn't forcing it to. Google is offering, and companies aren't likely to bite because things like special camera features make their products stand out.

The good news is that camera quality on Snapchat and Instagram has improved a lot in the past couple of years, but the bad news is that it still can look great or it can look grainy and blotchy and really, really bad. The solution is going to take a meeting of the minds, and that could be a long way off.

Google is trying to fix Android camera apps but it's not going to work

Snapchat is a fun way to keep up with your friends — everybody loves sending ephemeral photos and videos these days, and Snapchat is the platform that largely started the trend. However, every so often, users run into trouble signing in, which can be especially frustrating on an app like Snapchat that gamifies ongoing conversations with Streaks. Luckily, there's usually a simple solution in place, and we have a few things you should look out for, should you run into any issues.

Check for server outages

If you're having trouble signing into your Snapchat account, the first thing you should do is check if Snap's servers are down. There are plenty of sites that report on site and service outages; for this example, we're using Downdetector.

You can look up the status of any service using Downdetector's search bar, but one of its conveniences is that the site highlights the latest outages directly on the homepage. You can see a basic timeline of outage reports from the homepage, and clicking on the service takes you to a more detailed page with specifics on the particular problems users are having and how many people have reported them.

Try restarting your Wi-Fi and cellular data

If Snap's servers are up and running but you still can't sign in, it could simply be an issue with your data connection. Toggling airplane mode on and off generally fixes this, as it temporarily disables both Wi-Fi and mobile data, but if you'd rather toggle each connection manually, the process is still fairly simple.

1. Swipe down from the top of your phone's screen to access the notification shade.
2. On most phones, you'll see a quick toggle button for your Wi-Fi at the top of your notification shade. Tap it to turn Wi-Fi off, wait a few moments, then tap it again to reconnect.
3. To restart your cellular data connection, open your phone's Settings app.
4. Tap the search button at the top of the list and type "mobile data."
5. Tap the search result of the same name, then tap the toggle next to the menu item to disable mobile data.
6. Tap the toggle once more to re-enable your data connection.

Restart your phone

It's a tried and true joke amongst sarcastic troubleshooters, but restarting your phone really can be the necessary fix. It gives your phone a chance to shut down any unneeded background tasks and even takes care of restarting your network connections for you. Give it a try — you've got nothing to lose, and you could wind up with a fully functioning Snapchat app.

Make sure you aren't using unauthorized services

A deeply personal service like Snapchat requires a commitment to security, and for that reason Snap Inc. isn't a fan of modified experiences. Rooted phones and VPNs are a nonstarter with Snapchat, and third-party apps and plugins are equally discouraged.

Snap's site lists a few examples of unauthorized third-party apps; in general, it's a safe assumption that if you're using anything but the official Snapchat app from the Google Play Store, you'll run into trouble signing in and using Snapchat.

The most important tip of all, however, is to just be patient. Generally speaking, the issue is likely on Snapchat's side, which can be frustrating, but there's nothing you can do besides wait. Maybe try Instagram — it stole Snapchat's best features, anyway.

Phone used in this guide

What you need to know

• Looks like Snapchat is down right now.
• There's been a very high surge on Downdetector.
• Twitter is also awash with reports, and it looks like its global.

If you're trying to send snaps right now and can't, you're not alone, Snapchat is definitely down.

Snapchat has now Tweeted from its Snapchat Support account to confirm it is aware of the issues and is looking into it:

Nearly 30,000 outage reports have been logged on Downdetector in the last 20 minutes or so, and Downdector's outage map appears to show that the issues are global. Problems reported including both sending and receiving snaps. We're also seeing a lot of people engaging with our 'How to fix a login fail error on Snapchat' pieces.

There are also hundreds upon hundreds of tweets regarding the outage.

If you're also experiencing issues, let us know! As stated, given how many reports there are of this outage across Twitter and over on Downdetector, it's very likely that this is a server-side issue on Snapchat's end. Unfortunately, that means there probably isn't much you can do to solve the issue.

Just in case though, you can check out our Snapchat troubleshooting guide, which will help you check for any Snapchat updates, as well as resetting your network settings, and uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

As mentioned, Snapchat is looking into these issues, but there's no indication as to when they might get fixed. We'll keep an eye on everything and let you know when Snapchat is back up and running!

What you need to know

• Snapchat is introducing a new feature called "App Stories."
• It allows you to post your Snapchat Stories to other apps.
• Currently, only four apps are supported, with Tinder and Houseparty also being considered.

As others app copy one of its marquee features, Snapchat is trying to reassert its status as the originator of Stories by offering a more consolidated experience across different apps. To that end, it's introducing "App Stories," a new feature that lets other apps hook into your Snapchat Stories and display them in their own UI (via MobileSyrup).

Of course, apps following in the footsteps of Facebook and Instagram, which seek to replace and not coexist alongside Snapchat, will likely never accept the proposition and opt to create their implementations of the feature, just like Facebook did. However, there are still a number of apps that either don't have the resources or the interest in developing such a feature, and that could potentially open up a huge market for Snapchat to claw back its relevance in the social media sphere.

Four such platforms — Triller, Squad, Hilly, and Octi — are already rolling out "App Stories" in their app, and each has its own take on the feature. Triller, a music app, functions pretty much like Snapchat Stories, and let you follow stories from music artists and friends. Octi's implementation is similar, except that it's an AR app.

Squad, a video chat app, however, has an interesting take, whereby it lets groups of friends watch a story together, like Rave, but for Stories.

Hilly, meanwhile, is a dating app, and you can use Stories to spice up your dating profile. It's also an excellent example of how Snapchat could build out the feature with more partners in the future. Hilly already has a Stories feature of its own, and Snapchat Stories simply sit alongside them, without actually replacing them.

Tinder and Houseparty are two other apps that Snapchat teased were going to be included with this feature, though neither app currently supports 'App Stories.' Whether this means the rollout is simply being delayed or if the two companies have changed their mind about working with Snapchat isn't clear at the moment.

Put your face in GIFs with Snapchat's new Cameos feature

Update, March 25, 10am ET: Snapchat is back after going down for a few hours last night.

Update, March 24, 10pm ET: Didn't take long for Snapchat to go down again. Five days after our previous report, Snapchat users are complaining the service is down all over again. According to Downdetector, the complaints began around 9pm ET and have ramped up since then. Snapchat hasn't yet acknowledged the issue.

What you need to know

• Snapchat is currently experiencing issues.
• DownDetector shows the app's servers have been having issues for the last two hours.
• The outages seem to be focused in the U.S., but reports coming in from all over the world.

It's not just your Snapchat stories that can suddenly disappear without notice. The same thing's happening to the company's servers, as numerous reports of outages flood social media.

DownDetector shows the outages started around 10 PM Eastern Time, with a peak of over 15,000 reports at around 11 PM.

The web service tracker also shows that most of the complaints originate in the U.S. Though, it does seem like the outage is more widespread than that, since some of the reports also originate from Australia, Western Europe, and South America. The larger concentration of reports in the U.S. could simply be because that's where the majority of Snapchat users are located — or because Americans complain more than others. 😛

The company has acknowledged the issues and says it's working on a fix:

Put your face in GIFs with Snapchat's new Cameos feature

What you need to know

• Snapchat will roll out a new "Here For You" feature in the coming months to help its users experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis.
• The feature will work based on terms you search within the app, "including those related to anxiety, depression, stress, grief, suicidal thoughts, and bullying."
• Snapchat is most popular among younger users who may be more susceptible to bullying or suggestive content.

Social media can really take a toll on your mental health these days, and companies are starting to take an active interest in curbing this phenomenon. One of the most recent initiatives comes from Snapchat, which is one of the most popular apps amongst young users. Many of whom are most susceptible to bullying or being influenced by posts on social media.

To help support its users experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis, Snapchat will introduce a new "Here For You" feature in the coming months. It will work based on terms you search for in the app that could be related to sensitive topics surrounding mental health or bullying.

Snapchat isn't the only company to try to tackle bullying and the pressures of social media. For example, in 2019, Instagram began testing hiding likes, as well as requiring users to enter their age at sign up. It also introduced an AI filter to help detect possibly offensive comments and will encourage them to change the comment before posting. There is even a new Restrict feature that allows you to hide a user's comment from everyone except them and prevents them from seeing when you're active or online.

Put your face in GIFs with Snapchat's new Cameos feature

What you need to know

• Snapchat has announced its new Cameos feature, coming December 18.
• Cameos will allow users to replace faces in videos with their own.
• It's essentially a way to deep-fake yourself into a GIF!

Snapchat has announced its brand new Cameos feature, which will allow its users to replace faces in looping videos with their own.

Over on its blog, Snapchat posted a quick rundown of the new feature:

These Cameos will be located in Chat right next to your stickers, and there will be over 150 to choose from on both iOS and Android, with "many more" on the way. To use the feature, all you have to do is hit the Cameos button, take a selfie and then select the scene/video you'd like to appear in. There are even two-person Cameos where you can add two faces!

As reported by TechCrunch, Snapchat has announced that the global rollout will take place on December 18. Some French users have already seen test version of the feature show up in their Snapchat apps, take a look below!

https://twitter.com/gartr268/status/1203080218912739330?

The 150 or so videos feature sound, and there are lots of different scenes to choose from. As TechCrunch notes:

This should certainly prove to be an exciting new feature for Snapchat users. It seems very similar to a controversial feature in Zao, a realistic face-swapping app for WeChat. So realistic in fact that it was restricted by WeChat over security concerns. Whilst "deep fakes" as a concept is pretty controversial, Cameos seems to be quite far removed, with enough silliness to stop it turning into a tool for misinformation or abuse.

What you need to know

• As of October 14, Snapchat is down for users in the US and across Europe.
• There are also outages throughout the U.S.
• Currently no word as to when things will be back to normal.

Snapchat is current down across the United States and Europe. There are numerous reports indicating as such on the Downdetector website.

Over at Outrage.Report the news is the same with outtage reports being noted from users in Chicago, Brooklyn, Minneapolis, and 290 other cities.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

What you need to know

• Snapchat went down on September 9 around 4 p.m. ET.
• Down Detector shows the outage affecting many parts of the U.S. and Europe.
• There's no word on what caused the outage or when it will be back up.

If you've noticed Snapchat isn't quite working right today, you're not alone.

On September 9, 2019, Snapchat went down for many users across the globe. A check of Down Detector shows reports of the outage started spiking around 4 p.m. ET. The hashtag #snapchatdown has also picked up steam on Twitter, with users reporting an inability to send snaps to friends.

Snapchat has acknowledged the issue on Twitter, stating that it is "looking into it." There's no indication of when the service will be up and running again.

What you need to know

• A report claims Snapchat employees abused their privilege to access user data.
• This included saved snaps, phone numbers, and more.
• SnapLion was one of the internal tools used to do this.

It seems like not a day goes by without learning about a new privacy concern or data breach, and this time around Snapchat gets its spot in the limelight with a report that some of its employees abused internal tools to access users' personal information.

According to former Snap Inc. employees, internal tools at Snapchat were used to access heaps of personal information in an abusive way. This includes phone numbers, email addresses, location information, and saved snaps. One of the tools used to access this info is reportedly called "SnapLion."

Commenting on SnapLion, one former employee described having access to it like having "the keys to the kingdom."

While SnapLion is used legitimately, Motherboard's report indicates that it was often used maliciously by employees.

Snapchat responded to this report, saying that protecting its users' privacy is "paramount" and that detected violation of its business conduct "results in immediate termination." Snapchat supposedly keeps a close eye on who's using SnapLion and what's being done with the tool, but one of the former employees noted that "a number of years ago SnapLion did not have a satisfactory level of logging to track what data employees accessed."

Companies like Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter regularly remind us how focused they are on protecting our data/information, and while tools might be in place to do just that, it's clear that these things being used to protect us can also harm when in the wrong hands.

Instagram has been leaking contact info for months

If you've ever used Snapchat's Android app, you'll know that there's a lot of room for improvement. While Snapchat's pushed out numerous updates over the years to make the experience as good as can be, the app is often laggy with slow performance — even on some flagship phones.

Thankfully, with the update that's rolling out as of April 8, things should start to get a lot better.

This latest update is a completely rebuilt version of Snapchat for Android, and while it doesn't look any different visually, it's totally different under the hood. While we've yet to confirm it ourselves, this should make Snapchat on Android just as fast and smooth as its iOS counterpart.

Speaking of iOS, the rewrite should also allow for better feature parity between the two app versions — meaning the Android app will get new features as they're released for iOS and not weeks or months later. In fact, in an interview with Android Authority, Snap Vice President of Product Jacob Andreou said:

I'm not much of a Snapchat user myself these days, but if any of you are, you should get the update soon if you haven't already.

Download: Snapchat (free)

Fitbit and Snap are teaming up to make clock faces on your Versa or Ionic a little more emotive. The two companies have launched a Bitmoji clock face for both Fitbit lines, which can update throughout your day to reflect your activity and, maybe, motivate you to get moving.

The clock face includes more than 50 variations of your Bitmojis, according to Fitbit's press release. Each one is meant to respond to feats you've accomplished or add a bit of motivation to "create healthy habits." According to Fitbit, some of the variations include:

• Waving hello to start your day.
• Dancing with your alarm clock when it's time to rise and shine.
• Throwing confetti after you crush your daily step goal.
• Relaxing when you've binged too many of your favorite shows.
• Meditating when you're totally relaxed and zen.
• On the treadmill after a great run.
• Becoming an avocado when you log food2 -- you are what you eat, literally.
• Carrying an umbrella when there's a chance of rain so you don't get caught in a downpour.
• Sleep walking when it's time to catch some Zzs.
• And many more hidden gems.

The new Bitmoji clock face is only available for Ionic and Versa watches from Fitbit. You can grab the clock face now through the Fitbit App Gallery.

In November of 2016, Snap Inc. threw a curveball at everyone with the release of Spectacles – those funky sunglasses that allowed you to record videos and post them to Snapchat. It was an incredibly novel idea, but a handful of first-gen quirks kept them from truly catching on with the masses.

Fast forward to April of 2018, and we now have Spectacles v2 – a new and improved version of Spectacles with a tweaked design, higher price, and – most importantly – fixes for all of the issues we had with the previous generation.

The new Spectacles look mostly the same compared to the 2016 model, but there are a couple subtle changes that help them look a lot more mature. The matte plastic on the front has been swapped out for a more subdued clear finish and all of the three colors (Onyx, Ruby, and Sapphire) come with two lens styles to choose from.

In addition to looking better, Snap Inc. also ensures that Spectacles are more comfortable to wear. The glasses are slimmer and lighter and the accompanying charging case is also considerably smaller.

Holding down on the capture button will now allow you to take a still photo (something you couldn't do on gen one) and Snap Inc. says that the transfer process of sending content from Spectacles to your phone should be three to four times faster. Videos see a resolution bump of 25% to 1216 x 1216 and photos are captured at 1642 x 1642.

The new Spectacles are available for purchase now with a price of $150 – $20 more than what the previous version sold for. Snap is also partnering with Lensabl to offer custom orders so you can get your prescription added right to Spectacles out of the box.

I enjoyed the heck out of the first Spectacles when I got my hands on them last year, but that enjoyment quickly faded after just a few weeks thanks to the cheap build and ungodly slow transfers to my phone. Snap seems to have made all the right moves with v2, and the slightly higher price justifies (at least in my book) all the improvements we're seeing.

If you already own a pair of Spectacles, will you be upgrading to the new version?

See at Spectacles

Even if you're like me and don't use Snapchat, you probably heard its user-base crying out in disgust and anger earlier this year when the app was met with a major redesign. Snapchat made both user-facing and under-the-hood changes with this update, but it appears to be pulling back on at least one of these.

One of the most contested changes had to do with the way Snapchat presented Stories. Instead of showing you Stories in the order they were posted, Snapchat decided to implement an algorithm that determined which ones you'd like to see based on the users you interacted with the most. However, some users are now seeing their Stories in a more traditional reverse-chronological order.

Although this is coming from someone that can't stand Snapchat, this does seem like a move for the better. I personally despise Twitter's insistent need to show me Tweets from 12+ hours ago it thinks I'd like instead of what people are talking about and sharing right now, and for a lot of users, Snapchat is similar to Twitter in the sense that it's something you check multiple times throughout the day to see what your friends are up to right that very second — not to see what they were doing 5 hours ago.

The reverse-chronological order will make it more difficult to find Stories from friends that don't post as frequently as others, but based on the nonstop yelling from users over the past few months, I'm guessing this is something that a lot of you are happy to see.

If you use Snapchat, do you prefer seeing Stories based on who the app thinks you're best friends with or when they were posted?

Download: Snapchat (free)

Snap Inc. – the parent company behind Snapchat – is being sued by BlackBerry over digital messaging patents it's supposedly infringed on. These patents are owned by BlackBerry and were used to help create the company's once-iconic BBM messaging service.

BlackBerry's accusing Snap Inc. of infringing on six patents that were filed between 2012 and 2014, and two of them are the same ones that Facebook reportedly infringed on, too.

Just about a month ago, BlackBerry targeted Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp with similar claims of all three companies copying its work.

Snap Inc. has yet to comment on the matter, and if you want to read more into the fine details, the case is named as BlackBerry Ltd. v. Snap Inc., 18-cv-02693 with the United States District Court at the Central District of California in Los Angeles.

BlackBerry sues Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp for patent infringements

Although it's not for me, I've got to give Snapchat credit for releasing frequent updates to its app with bug fixes, new features, and controversial UI changes. In the latest update, Snapchat's adding group video calls and the ability to tag friends in your stories.

To start a group video call, you'll need to either start a new conversation with a group of people or go to an existing one. Tapping the new video icon will initiate a live video chat with everyone that's part of the group, and everyone will get a notification once you've started the call.

You can use all of Snapchat's lenses/filters while in a call, and up to 16 people can be chatting at once. You can turn off your camera at any time if you just want to use your voice, and if you tap the phone icon from the group page, you can start an audio-only call that up to 32 people can join.

As for tagging friends in stories, Snapchat is referring to this new feature as "Mentions." When adding a new photo or video to your public story, typing "@" and then a friend's name/username will start auto-populating a section above your keyboard of recommending people to tag.

People that view your stories with tagged users can swipe up to add them as friends, and the person you tag will get a notification once you've posted a photo/video they're in.

These two features are rolling out to Snapchat now!

Download: Snapchat (free)

Daniel Bader, Andrew Martonik, and Jerry Hildenbrand are not lawyers, but they play them on podcasts.

As the team gird their collective loins for Mobile World Congress, OnePlus remains in the crosshairs of Internet outrage. But is all the anger justified? Also, who should the responsibility and cost associated with security updates fall to? Carriers? Phone manufacturers? Should customers have to pay extra for guaranteed updates? So many questions!

The crew also discuss the redesign expected for Android P, Oreo updates for the Galaxy S8, Essential's USB-C headphones, new emoji via Samsung Experience 9.0, and more. Listen up!

Listen now

• Subscribe in iTunes: Audio
• Subscribe in RSS: Audio
• Download directly: Audio

Show Notes and Links:

• OnePlus' real problem is getting heard above the noise
• Cheap Android phones shouldn't be disposable
• Essential Earphones HD: $99 for one of very few USB-C headphone options
• Google just made the Pixel 2 the best camera for Instagram and Snapchat
• The Pixel Visual Core, explained
• Android P will feature a 'dramatic redesign' and support notch displays
• Samsung is finally rolling out the Oreo update to the Galaxy S8/S8+
• Oreo update for Galaxy S8 does not support Project Treble
• Samsung Experience 9.0 makes emoji on Galaxy devices less awful

Sponsors:

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Snapchat is an app that I've been trying to avoid for some time, but it looks like that quest will soon be much more difficult. Following rumors that popped up in late December, Snapchat is now letting you share Stories outside of the app so you can view them on a mobile or desktop browser.

At first, this feature will only be available for Seach Stories, Official Stories, and Our Stories that are found in the app's Discover section. This will likely change and open up to more Stories as time goes on, but it's unclear when exactly that'll happen.

When you share a story, you'll get a link that you can share anywhere you'd like. When someone clicks/taps on said link, they'll be taken to story.snapchat.com where they can watch the story, share it, control its playback, and also download the Snapchat app thanks to a conveniently placed button.

Being redirected to another web page isn't the most glamorous process, but it does open the door considerably in regards to who can see the content you're sharing on Snapchat.

When sharing these links, you'll still have to keep their lifespan in mind. Our Stories and Search Stories that you share will only be viewable for 30 days with the link, and Official Stories will expire after just 24 hours.

Instagram is letting some users share their Stories on WhatsApp Status

Snapchat's seen more than a few updates over the years, but one of the more entertaining features it's gained are Lenses. Lenses allow users to add 3D characters and models to their photos and videos to integrate augmented reality into their snaps, and with the launch of Lens Studio, Snapchat is allowing just about anyone to create and submit their own Lens creations.

Lens Studio is available as a free desktop application for Windows and Mac, and it'll enable designers, students, and developers to create their own custom models and submit them to Snapchat so that other individuals can use them in the app.

After you create and submit your own Lens, you'll be given a Snapcode that you can share digitally or physical so that other Snapchat users can scan it and then use it for themselves or share it with their friends.

If Lens Studio sounds like something you want to try your hand at, you can download the app for free here.

Snapchat's redesigned app is here and much easier to use

As popular as Snapchat has become over the years, its app has been in need of a redesign for quite some time. Everything within the app technically works but trying to navigate it has always been something of a pain. That is, until now.

Snapchat's CEO hinted at a redesign of the application at the beginning of November, and today that redesign has officially been announced. Upon opening the new Snapchat app, you'll be met with the familiar screen of your camera's viewfinder. However, the pages to the left and right of it have received a major overhaul.

The page to the left of your viewfinder previously showcased direct messages with your friends in the last order that you talked with them, but Snapchat is now turning this into "the dynamic Friends page." You'll still be able to access direct messages to your friends here, but this is also where you'll now watch their public Stories.

Also, rather than displaying your friends in chronological order based on when you last talked to them, Snapchat is using its new "Best Friends algorithm." Snapchat says the algorithm will display your friends in the order that it thinks you want to talk to them, and the more you use the app, the more accurate it'll be in determining which friends should be placed at the top of your list.

As for the page to the right of the viewfinder, this is being dubbed as the "Discover" page. Since your friends' Stories are now on the new Friends page, Discover is where you'll find all of the content from creators, publishers, and other people in the Snapchat community that you're interested in. Just like the Friends page, content showcased on Discover will change and adapt over time based on your interests and what you like to watch the most.

The new Snapchat UI should be rolling out soon, and if you get confused, just remember – friends on the left, everything else on the right.

Snapchat on Android: Everything you need to know

During the short stints in which I actually use Snapchat, it's quite obvious that filters are a big part of the app. Customizing your photos with little graphics helps to give them that iconic Snapchat look, and over the years, these filters have become smarter and smarter. Snpachat filters can tell how fast you're currently traveling, what the temperature is around you, and even recommend certain ones based on where you're at.

Now, according to a Snapchat representative that spoke with Mashable, some filters will be available based on what you're actually taking a picture of.

This is a feature that Snapchat's reportedly been rolling out to its users since last week, and it's dead simple to use. After you've taken a photo of whatever it is you want to send to a friend or add to your Story, swiping through your filters like usual will now show you special ones if you've taken a picture of something that Snapchat can recognize. These filters currently pop up for pictures of concerts, pets, food, sports, and beaches, and we'd expect more to be added as time goes on.

I tried out the filters for myself, and I managed to get one that said "food cam" when taking a photo of a stock turkey image, as well as one that read "beach please" when taking a picture of a beachfront. You can try out the filters for yourself by taking photos of these things in real life, or by simply searching Google Images for relevant images like I did.

A redesigned Snapchat app is in the works

Snapchat is one of the largest social networks around, and it's probably the most polarizing one to boot. There's a ton of people, young and old, who just can't wrap their heads around why anyone would want to send pictures and messages that just disappear as soon as you look away (well, aside from a certain purpose that everyone seems to understand).

I've been an avid Snapchat user since the day it landed on the Play Store, and admittedly even I have a hard time expressing to skeptics why I and many of my friends find it so addictive. Despite the quip in the last paragraph, I've never used the platform to send (or receive) nude photos, and it's no secret that Snapchat for Android has lower quality images and slower feature rollouts than its iOS counterpart.

But none of that is enough to deter me and millions of others from exchanging countless self-destructing photos, videos, and messages every single day. It's a great way to keep up with the personal lives of your friends, get a peek at what happens behind the scenes with your idols, and quickly share photos and videos that just don't have enough mass appeal to be immortalized on Instagram or Twitter.

So maybe it's time to stop questioning why Snapchat is so popular, and instead start to figure out ... how the hell do you use it?

How to use Snapchat

Cella already extensively covered the basics of Snapchat last year, from its formative history to navigating its convoluted UI and, of course, the lenses and filters. It's still a great read with loads of information, so let's not dwell too much on the basics here — just know that the three-panel layout is largely unchanged, lenses are still one of the most fun parts of Snapchat, and disappearing messages are still as finicky and frustrating as ever.

But here's the thing: even though Cella's article is still relevant, Snapchat has added a lot of new features over the last year, and it's become significantly more complicated as a result. A few gestures have been remapped to make room for new functions, so even if you've used Snapchat before, you might have to relearn a few shortcuts if you haven't been active in a while.

Download: Snapchat (free)

Getting familiar with Snapchat

• Snap score
• Snapcodes
• Search
• Bitmoji
• Shazam integration
• Snap Map
• Augmented reality
• Multi-Snaps
• Snapcash
• Links in snaps
• Memories
• Spectacles

What does my score mean?

You used to be able to swipe down from anywhere in the viewfinder to access your Snapchat profile, but that's been reallocated to a button in the top left corner (represented by your avatar) to make room for Snapchat's jumbled search feed.

Once you've made your way to your profile view, you'll notice a seemingly arbitrary number next to your username. This number is your Snapchat "score," but what does that mean exactly? The answer's actually pretty simple — it's just the number of snaps you've sent and received through your account's history.

For extra credit, tap the trophy icon underneath your username to jump into your Trophy Case. This works a lot like achievements on Xbox Live; Snapchat gives you small awards for the various ways you send snaps and otherwise use the app (i.e. zooming during a video snap, snapping in certain weather conditions, saving stories to your Memories, and so on). These trophies offer little more than bragging rights amongst your friends, but they're a fun way to gamify Snapchat and keep fans of collectibles coming back.

How do I use Snapcodes?

While you're in your profile view, it's impossible not to notice the giant speckled yellow block above all of your info. This block, called your Snapcode, works a lot like a QR code; position one in your Snapchat viewfinder, then long-press on the screen to instantly add the Snapcode's owner as a friend. Everybody's Snapcode looks a little different, with the black dots arranged in various patterns, and you can further personalize your own code by creating a Bitmoji, then choosing a Bitmoji Selfie — essentially emoticons based on your face.

Read more: Creating a Snapcode

This search panel is a mess.

Yes, it is. But let's make some sense of it. You can use the search bar to find anything from friends to related stories and search tags. Just below that are some of the current most relevant tags, and a long scrollable list of the top stories that people have contributed to. If you're on the hunt for a particular type of content, you can flip through different categories beneath the top stories, ranging from nightclubs and bars around you to concerts, animals, and travel.

At the very bottom of the search panel is a three-column section that lists your most recently added friends, suggests new people to add, and connects with your phone's address book to find contacts who are on Snapchat.

Read more: Snapchat's Universal Search

What are Bitmoji?

Bitmoji are those little animated characters you've probably seen your friends using in their stories. You can download the Bitmoji app from the Play Store, then create a cartoon caricature of yourself that integrates with your Snapchat account for a handful of personalized effects to use in your snaps. From there, you can put your Bitmoji into your Snapcode, use it with stickers, or choose from a handful of 3D animations in the lens selector to add to your snaps.

Read more: Setting Bitmoji shortcuts to your Snapchat contacts

Shazam integration

Music recognition seems like a bit of an oddball feature for a photo-sharing platform, but it's convenient nonetheless. Snap Inc. and Shazam partnered up back in December of last year, and since then you've been able to press and hold on the camera screen (the same way you access lenses) and have Shazam start listening and tell you what song is playing in the background.

Once you've identified a song, you can send it to your friends, post it to your story, or just dismiss it and come back to it later — every song you identify is saved under the Shazam tab in the settings, where you can find links to play the song on Google Play Music or Spotify, pull up lyrics and music videos, or delete any guilty pleasures you might've identified.

Read more: Shazam in Snapchat

Snap Map?

If you pinch in from the camera viewfinder, you'll be taken into Snap Map, where you'll see your Bitmoji standing in your exact location on a map powered by the open-source Mapbox platform. As you scroll around the map, you'll start to find your friends' Bitmoji as well, along with some location-based stories. You can tap a friend's Bitmoji to see when their location was last updated — which is basically just the last time they opened Snapchat.

This is a cool feature to enable when you're out in a social setting and want your friends to find you, but it can feel way too invasive and even dangerous to broadcast your location when you're home. Luckily, you can choose who's able to see your location in the settings, or opt out of the feature entirely by enabling Ghost Mode.

Read more: Snap Map does exactly what you'd think

About the dancing hotdog man...

You've undoubtedly seen the anthropomorphic dancing hotdog somewhere on the internet, either in your friends' snaps or as the subject of a meme on Twitter. That fun-loving frank has inadvertently become Snapchat's unofficial second mascot (the first being Ghostface Chillah, the white ghost in the company's logo), and the most prominent of its augmented reality lenses.

To make use of Snapchat's AR features, press and hold anywhere in the camera screen until a scrolling list of circular icons populates the bottom of the screen, near the shutter button. As always, you'll find various face filters, but thrown into the mix are a rotation of 3D characters (including your Bitmoji, the hotdog man, and others) that attach to surfaces in the room around you. If you're unhappy with their placement, you can move these characters around, resize them, and even move around them to see different angles.

To be honest, this is the feature that finally sold me on Bitmoji. It's silly, sure, but so is the rest of Snapchat, and it's fun to see a rendition of yourself animated in different ways all the time.

Read more: Update brings AR effects to your everyday life

When 10-second snaps aren't enough

Snapchat recently added support for its Multi-Snap feature on Android, which lets users bypass the built-in 10-second recording limit. Just keep holding the camera button after the red ring fills up to record up to six consecutive snaps that can all be shared to your story or sent to a friend simultaneously.

Each clip is displayed as a card that can be individually deleted, though you can't edit each card separately; any filters, text, or stickers added are applied to the collective Multi-Snap.

Read more: Snapchat lets you record 60-second Snaps ... sort of

Sending money in Snapchat

One of the features I find myself using most often in Snapchat is Snapcash, which lets you send money to your friends (and vice versa) just by typing the amount in the chat window. Both the sender and recipient will need to enable Snapcash, which is as easy as linking your debit card information in the settings.

There's an argument to be made that almost every banking app these days already has direct transfer options available, but Snapcash comes in handy when the two parties don't go through the same bank. Receipts are available in the settings, and all exchanges are processed by Square, rather than by Snapchat directly.

Read more: Snapcash

Adding URLs to your snaps

One of the best marketing features on Instagram Stories, Snapchat's biggest competition, is the ability to add links in posts, but it's unfortunately only available for business accounts with at least 10,000 followers. Snapchat took notice and brought the same feature to its own platform, without the annoying business account limitation.

To add a link to a snap, just hit the paperclip icon in the editor and type or paste the desired URL. Snapchat will open the link using an in-app browser, load the mobile version if possible, and confirm that you've input the correct link. Once added, you can make whatever other adjustments you want, then send the snap as usual. Recipients will be able to swipe up to visit the linked page, and you can share the snap to your story for maximum exposure.

Read more: Instagram Stories lets you share your day's best moments

Memories is like Snapchat's own Google Photos

Snapchat is ephemeral by nature, but sometimes you take a snap that you just don't want to forget. Luckily, swiping up from the camera feed reveals Memories, which backs up any snaps you've chosen to save to the cloud using Snapchat's servers. Much like Google Photos, this is a completely free service with unlimited storage for your photos and videos captured with Snapchat, and you can set any stories you post to automatically save to your Memories in the settings.

Read more: How to access and use Snapchat Memories

While perusing your Memories, you can tap an old snap to view the full-size image, and long press the preview to export it to your phone's gallery, delete the snap from Memories, or even edit and send the snap all over again. Snapchat used to place a large white border around older images, but it now simply denotes the post's age in the upper lefthand corner.

Read more: How to manage Snapchat Memories

Okay, I've got the hang of Snapchat. Now what about Spectacles?

Perhaps the most ambitious move Snapchat has made since its inception is the release of its Spectacles sunglasses. With an unmistakably quirky design, a constantly moving vending machine pop-up store, and a built-in camera that raised numerous privacy concerns, Spectacles have garnered a lot of attention over the last year or so.

But what do Spectacles do, exactly? Once you pair them to your phone through Bluetooth, all you have to do is press the button on the top of the left frame (right above the camera) and the Spectacles will begin capturing an eight-second video. There's a ring of LEDs by the right lens that lights up to alert those around you that you're recording, and once the video is finished it'll sync to your phone the next time you open Snapchat with the Spectacles on.

Point-of-view videos are neat, but the unique part of Spectacles is that they record circular video, which work natively with Snapchat for a much more immersive experience. The video punches in to fill your phone's entire screen, giving the illusion of a standard rectangular capture, but works with the accelerometer to follow your phone's orientation, changing the displayed content as you rotate your phone around. It works extremely smoothly, and once you start playing with videos from the Spectacles it becomes flat-out addictive.

Still have more questions about Spectacles? You're in luck — there's a Mr. Mobile video for that.

Having trouble?

Snapchat isn't perfect, and every once in a while you might run into some trouble with logging in, sending snaps, or otherwise malfunctioning features. Luckily, there's usually an easy fix.

How to fix Snapchat login errors

Got any other tips or tricks?

Let us know your favorite ways to use Snapchat in the comments below, and we'll update the article as new features for Snapchat on Android roll out.

Snapchat is known for arbitrary limitations throughout its interface, but in general that's part of the fun. But one barrier is being lifted today with the announcement that you can now record 60-second long videos ... well, sort of. Rather than limiting you to just 10 seconds of recording at a time, if you continue to hold the capture button you'll now record six 10-second clips in a row continuously.

As you continue to hold for longer captures, the 10-second clips will line up in chronological order on the screen, giving you what is effectively a continuous 60-second clip but with the ability to selectively delete 10-second chunks. The clips you save will always be sent chronologically, but this at least gives you freedom to capture a longer video and select the portion you actually want, rather than being locked into timing it just right for a single 10-second video.

Of course the best way to handle the frustration of not being able to record longer would be to simply let people trim their video clips to any length ... but then again this is Snapchat we're talking about here. Today's change to Multi-Snap recording is at least a step in the right direction. The latest update will be available on Android soon, though it's launching for iOS users today.

Snapchat has introduced a new feature called "Snap Map" that does exactly what you'd think it does: shows you Snaps, on a map. You can move and zoom the map from city level all the way up to global level to see where people are, and you can see hot spots where multiple people are at the same place sharing.

You get to choose if you want to share your location with your friends, or you can go into Ghost Mode and keep things private. Snapchat says the app will only update when you open up Snapchat, rather than continuously track your movements.

This isn't necessarily a direct competitor to the more granular location sharing features that apps like Google Maps and Glympse offer, but it is helpful for keeping people inside of Snapchat rather than jumping out elsewhere to find out where everyone is.