Our favorite app for #selfies is changing its ways, yet again.
Recently, Snapchat announced it will allow users to save their posts, rather than having them self-destruct forever, in a new function called Memories.
In an attempt to join and even surpass the ranks of other picture-sharing social media platforms, the company is giving you a new option to save your beloved Snaps. When you take a picture on the app or post something to your story, you can save the image to the ~Memories~ section with just a few taps. They hope this will convince users to use Snapchat to store pictures, instead of using more recognized mediums like Facebook and Instagram, according to the Los Angeles Times.
To access your Memories, you just need to swipe up in the photo-taking page. From there, you can show your friends your hilarious Snap Story from a week ago, or you can repost an old Snap to your story again. Throwback Thursday, anyone?
The update, which is set to be released within the month, will be organized somewhat like Facebook Moments or iCloud. You can search for old Snaps by date and location, which could be helpful to show off vacation pics or a specific event. If you decide to repost a Snap to your story, a cloud-like border will form on the sides of the image to let your Snapchat friends know that it's an older picture. You can also upload photos straight from your phone, which will bear a "From Camera Roll" label.
Knowing that the platform is used for more than just family-friendly pictures, the company even accounted for snaps that are more, well, private. Explained further in a video released by the company, you can simply designate the risqué post as "My Eyes Only." This is a password protected feature within the Memories section that allows for users to maintain a bit of privacy whilst still being able to store any snap within the app. No need to worry about your mom swiping left or right when you're just trying to show off one picture.
According to The Wall-Street Journal, this update comes at a time when the user base of Snapchat is rapidly changing. In fact, it was recently estimated that although only 14 percent of Snapchat users are over the age of 35, that age group is the fastest growing among users of the app. Despite the shift toward an older user base, 69 percent of Snapchatters are still ages 18 to 24.
As the app moves away from focusing solely on its strong base of Millennials, users may criticize the move. But is it really such a bad thing to share this with our older family members? We all love Snapchat, so it makes sense to improve its features in order to connect further with older generations through using it. As long as we know how to prevent them from seeing anything awkward, this new addition should be chalked up as a win for everyone!