What’s in store for the future of Facebook? Are they trying to copy Snapchat?
It seems that Facebook may be working on yet another Snapchat clone.
The social network is developing an app using the camera feature meant to “encourage its 1.6 billion users to create, and share, more photos and videos,” according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal. I don’t think you have to be psychic to work out that this was inevitable, as that is the direction all social media is heading in: picture and video utilisation.
The app is being created by a team in London and launches on the camera and will reportedly integrate with Instagram and other Facebook-owned apps. Users will be allowed to share live streamed video back to Facebook, according to a report in WallStreet. It is reportedly very similar to Snapchat (Thanks Sherlock).
This wouldn’t be the first time Facebook has attempted to make an app similar to Snapchat over the years. Look at all the times the company has tried (and failed) to release a camera app:
- 2012: Facebook Camera — An Instagram-like photo sharing app released just weeks after it announced its Instagram acquisition
- 2012: Facebook Poke — Its first attempt at a straight-up Snapchat clone, Poke was released in 2012 but failed to gain traction, it was pulled from the App Store in 2014
- 2014: Slingshot — Another disappearing messaging app that failed to take off despite the fact that it didn’t require a Facebook account to use. Facebook pulled the app in 2015.
- 2014: Bolt — An experimental app from the Instagram team, Bolt was first launched in New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa but never made it to the U.S. It was pulled in 2015.
- 2015: Riff — Another app from Facebook’s now defunct Creative Labs team, Riff was premised on groups of friends sharing and remixing video clips. It was pulled later that year.
So what makes this app different from the rest? Well, I can’t actually answer that as I have no idea and as usual they are being very secretive about it. So far these are nothing but rumours. It seems that a lot of younger social media users are straying away from Facebook in favour of platforms such as snapchat and Instagram, so it would make sense Facebook are trying to attract some of their audience back by going down a similar route to these apps.
However, it would be incredibly embarrassing if Facebook tried to release yet another copycat of snapchat and it failed. Perhaps why they are trying to keep it so hush?
What do you think? Feel free to tweet us @StrategySMedia