Get more emojis and use up less data with Snapchat

The latest Snapchat update for iOS and Android brings even more emojis to you, while saving up on the data you consume while on the go. The new Sticker Picker menu lets you put as many emojis as you want anywhere on the screen. You’re no longer restricted to keeping it in line with the text. The new Travel Mode, meanwhile, stops the app from preloading data-intensive Stories when you’re using your cellular connection instead of Wi-Fi. If you want to view a specific Story, you just have to tap on the specific item. This feature can be accessed through the Manage screen via the gear icon on the top right corner.

Source: Engadget | Download: Apple App Store (Free) + Google Play Store (Free)

Snapchat won’t be coming to the Apple Watch

If you’ve been waiting to be able to see Snapchat snaps from your Apple Watch, you might be in for a real long wait. According to the messaging app’s CEO Evan Spiegel, they don’t intend to make an Apple Watch version of its app. “Why would you look at a small picture [on your wrist] when you can look at a large one on your phone?” Spiegel asked.

Spiegel said the company intends to focus more on the camera, photo editing tools, messaging, and content. They’re even working on getting rid of the need to hold your finger on the screen to watch videos.

Source: Cult of Mac

Snapchat adds IM and video chat to service

Snapchat doesn’t do away with its self-destructing messages but has updated its iOS and Android apps to do a bit more.  The app now lets you instant message your friends and have live video chats with them. You can start chatting with your friends by swiping to the right from your main screen. You’ll see the list of people available for chats. While this is much like the other messaging services out there, the text from your conversations are wiped after you close the chat screen, unless you tell the app to keep them.

For video chats, a blue icon will pop up at the bottom of the screen when your friend is chatting with you. You press and hold this open for a one-way stream. The person you’re chatting with can do the same thing as well. There are gestures you can use to switch back and forth with your front- and rear-facing cameras.

4.6 million Snapchat users stung by user and phone number leak

Snapchat is the latest app/service to have suffered a security breach that has exposed the usernames and phone numbers of 4.6 million of its users. An anonymous group of hackers was able to extract and has published this information in a website that has since been taken down. The same group of hackers also revealed Snapchat's API which is essential to how the app operates. A show of tough love, the hacker group stated that Snapchat has been too lax with its user's private information.

“Our motivation behind the release was to raise the public awareness around the issue, and also put public pressure on Snapchat to get this exploit fixed. It is understandable that tech startups have limited resources but security and privacy should not be a secondary goal. Security matters as much as user experience does,” explained the group in a statement to TechCrunch.

Source: TechCrunch