Snapchat Is Adding A New Feature And It Could Lead To The Company Making Money...
Snapchat is quietly testing a new location-based service that allows users to unlock certain filters based on their location, according to The Mail Online's Taylor Lorenz.
The company has reportedly been testing the new addition on the iOS version of Snapchat.
With the feature enabled, Snapchat will automatically offer the option to add smart filters to your snaps based on your location. For example, if you're in New York City's Financial District, you may see a filter showing cash raining from the top of your snap.
To access the feature, you'll need to make sure the Snapchat app is up to date on your phone. Then, head over to the Settings menu, select Manage under Additional Services, and make sure the Filters option is switched on.
This will allow the app to use your location to unlock certain filters. It's unclear exactly which locations trigger filters, but some Snapchat users have already begun to notice the change.
- Alyssa Ayon (@alyssagiselleee) June 29, 2014
Snapchat has yet to acknowledge the new feature, which leads us to believe that the company is still testing this location-based filter system for a widespread release.
The addition of these sticker-like filters could also give Snapchat a new advantage in the advertising space as well. Brands like Taco Bell and GrubHub have already been using Snapchat as a new way to reach users. But, as Lorenz points out, the ability to overlay their logo on a snap through a filter could take that concept to the next level.
Japanese messaging app Line has already made a business out of allowing users to create, share, and sell their sticker designs. In November 2013, Line reported that 20% of its revenue in Q3 came from paid stickers, according to TechCrunch.
This discovery of these new Snapchat filters comes just after the company introduced other significant additions to the app. The recently unveiled Our Story feature for Snapchat allows people attending the same party or event to upload photos and videos to a central story. In early May, Snapchat added the ability to send instant messages that vanish and video phone calls.