Snapchat forces users to replace Snapcode profile pictures with Bitmoji

A new update coming to Snapchat is not sitting well with some of its users. The social network is forcing its users to put a Bitmoji avatar inside the ghost-shaped Snapcode frame instead of their profile pictures. It’s not an opt-in feature either. If you’ve ever created a Bitmoji account before, it’ll change on its own. If you haven’t it looks like you won’t be affected for now. Users have taken to Twitter to complain, some over losing their profile pictures and others to being confused about telling their friends apart because of the similar appearances of the Bitmoji. From the business end, it makes sense for Snapchat to try and promote Bitmoji after buying the company last year. That doesn’t mean its decisions still well with its users, though.

Source: The Verge

Instagram isn’t done taking Snapchat's features, introduces ‘face filters’

Instagram adds one more missing piece to its Story feature: Snapchat lenses. Those augmented reality-based filters that lets you add things like bunny ears or a dog’s snout on you. Of course, Instagram can’t call these lenses so they opt to call them “face filters.” You can access the feature at the bottom right of the Story window. It looks like a face icon with sparkles on them. And just like Snapchat lenses, you can go through the different filters to play around with.

As Mashable’s Raymond Wong points out, this blatant copying of Snapchat might not look good but it has been paying off for Facebook. Last month, Instagram garnered 200 million daily active users using Stories, which is already more than the entire daily active user base of Snapchat.

Snapchat wants to keep you in its app

Snapchat is constantly under siege by Facebook and we won’t be surprised if this new feature will show up on Facebook, Instagram, and even WhatsApp. Snapchat adds a new functionality to its search bar to encourage you to keep watching. Just type a topic of choice (ex. puppies) and get to see all the videos related to that. The videos that show up there have been added by users who selected the add a “Snap to Our Story” option. Snapchat uses a machine learning algorithm it probably got from its acquisition of search and recommendation app Vurb last year.

By adding this functionality, it’ll entice you to stay on the app longer, especially with the addition of Stories “around me” and local “attractions” that you can check out. It’s rolling out to select cities in the U.S. first but Snap plans to release the experience to more areas. It just won’t say when though.

Source: Mashable

Snapchat brings Bitmoji shortcuts to both iOS and Android users

A few days ago we saw Snapchat testing out Bitmoji widgets of your friends for the Android home screen. But it looks like the feature isn’t limited to Android users anymore. In fact, Snapchat has taken the feature out of testing and into the hands of its iOS and Android users. For those using iPhones, though, you can only see the widget from the Today screen. If you’re on Android, well, then you can see that from your home screen like how it was done in the tests.

Source: The Verge