Finally, Snapchat helps users save data with new TravelMode feature

By Trevor Mogg August 11, 2015

Snapchat Emoji Camera Updates — Maurizio Pesce/Flickr

Snapchat has just rolled out an update that should serve to make life a whole lot easier for regular users of the ephemeral messaging app. Released on Monday for both iOS and Android, TravelMode stops content from automatically preloading when you’re on a cellular connection, so you’ll no longer have to worry about hitting your data cap earlier than expected.

Once you’ve enabled TravelMode (via the Manage screen in the app) you can choose which content you want to load from friends, Discover, and Live Stories by simply tapping the display. The new feature gives you more control over what you view and when you view it, and therefore considerably more control over your data usage.

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The issue of heavy data usage has been troubling some Snapchat users for a while now. The app’s Discover feature, which offers curated video content from a number of media partners, increased data consumption markedly when it rolled out in January, a situation that led to many user complaints. TravelMode finally offers a solution.

Monday’s update also brings with it more versatility when adding emojis to snaps. Up to now the colorful characters could only be placed in a line of text, but now, thanks to a new Sticker Picker menu, you can let your creativity run riot and stick ’em all over the place.

It’s also now possible to export your animated Snapcodes as video files so you can share them across social media sites and the like. Rolled out at the start of this year, Snapcodes (a kind of Snapchat-branded QR code) offers a quick and easy way for friends to start following them.

One more thing — a tap on the “eye” icon beside the view count will now show you who has viewed that particular snap. While it was possible to access the information before, this update simplifies the process.

Snapchat, which launched back in 2011, has expanded its feature set and functionality significantly over the years, and is estimated to have over 100 million users. Co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel said in May the startup “has a plan” for an IPO, though declined to offer a timeline for such a move.

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