Snapchat's latest features help users personalize their accounts
Snapchat is introducing new ways for users to personalize their accounts, the company announced on Tuesday. The updates, which are mostly available for Snapchat+ subscribers, allow users to do things like design a personalized house on Snap Map, share super quick Snaps and edit their Bitmoji, among other things.
At a time when social media companies continue to rip off each other's features, Snapchat is introducing new ways for users to personalize their experience on its app in an effort to separate itself from other platforms while also enticing people to sign up for its subscription service, now used by 9 million people.
Snapchat+ subscribers can design a personalized house on Snap Map that will be visible to friends they share their location with. Snapchat is letting users get creative with how they create their houses, as they can choose the style, colors and more. For instance, you can go for a realistic look or a whimsical castle, the company suggests.
The new feature is a fun way for Snapchat to differentiate Snap Map from other location-based services like Apple's Find My and Life360.
Subscribers can now also have their pet appear alongside their Bitmoji in chats. While your pet has already been visible on Snap Map, you can now have your pet next to you at all times on the app.
In addition, Snapchat is introducing the ability for users to send lightning-quick Snaps, letting subscribers send or post content that lasts only .10, .20 and .50 seconds. Snapchat popularized the idea of quick, bite-sized content and is now taking that idea to new levels.
As for standard users, Snapchat is rolling out a new "live mirror" in its Bitmoji Builder interface that will make it easier to select features that look most like you. The idea behind the new addition is to make personalization easier than previously possible by automatically creating Bitmoji based on what it sees in the camera's viewfinder.
The company also touted its AI-powered Lenses, like the one that lets you look back on your five-year-old self.
