Skip to main content

Snapchat gets a major update and loses its smiley face in the process

snapchats photoSnapchat is a genuine phenomenon, and the young app already reached milestones like weathering its first (dozen) scandals and seeing a meteoric rise in use: Over 150 million snaps are sent a day. More people are sharing photos on Snapchat than on Instagram; it’s a runaway success, scandals or no. So now it’s reaching another major milestone with its first substantial upgrade. If you updated Snapchat on your phone today, you must’ve noticed that the app is rocking some new features for its iOS version 5.0.

SnapchatThe update is being dubbed “Banquo,” and the first thing you’ll notice is the sleeker UI. You can now swipe from window to window, resulting in more intuitive navigation. And it’s easier than ever to instantaneously respond to someone’s picture. Once you open a message, you can double-tap on it to redirect back to the camera, so you can take a picture in response – it will go directly back to the other person. Now you won’t have to use the few seconds it used to take the navigate to a response window to consider if it’s really a wise idea to send a picture back at 4 a.m. on a Wednesday. Snapchat does give you one of those “are you sure you want to do this?” messages, though, so at least there’s still one step between you and automatic regret.

Recommended Videos

The prettier, smoother interface isn’t the only change. Now in-app profiles are drop-down style, so if you click on your friend, you’ll see their score and their “best friends.” You can also send snaps to friends directly from your address book, so if you’re scrolling through your contacts and you realize you haven’t sent a picture of yourself eating a cronut and rocking a double chin with the words “NOM NOM NOM” scribbled on it to your best friend today, you don’t have to take any extra steps Screen Shot 2013-06-06 at 11.02.38 AMto get on it immediately.

Plus, the whole thing is quicker. Snappier, if you will.

One more thing you might’ve noticed: In the new version, the wee ghost mascot doesn’t have a face anymore. Where did it go? Perhaps it has something to do with the name “Banquo” – it comes from “Macbeth.” Banquo is Macbeth’s buddy at the beginning of the play, but Macbeth has him murdered, and then Banquo’s ghost shows up at the end. It’s a creepy play, so maybe they wanted to make their mascot creepier for this version. I miss the little smile, though.

ghost
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Kate Knibbs
Former Contributor
Kate Knibbs is a writer from Chicago. She is very happy that her borderline-unhealthy Internet habits are rewarded with a…
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is getting its first update. Here’s what’s new
The Samsung Galaxy Ring in its charging case.

There hasn’t been much news about the Samsung Galaxy Ring since its launch in July. However, that’s about to change as Samsung is now preparing to release an update for the wearable device. Unfortunately, this first update is tiny, as RydahDoesTech appears to be the first to have discovered.

According to the notes, the less than 1-megabyte update for the Galaxy Ring features improvements to the ring’s Bluetooth connection and Samsung Health. What those improvements are remains unknown.

Read more
Ray-Ban Meta glasses get ‘major’ update with minor feature
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses next to a pool.

Someone maybe should tell Meta that point releases — software updates that move things along, but maybe don’t justify entire whole-number increases in the version scheme — are a thing. But here we are, and the Ray-Ban Meta glasses have received an update to Version 8.0, a little less than seven months since things really kicked off with Version 2.0.

What changes from Version 7.0 to Version 8.0? You can now share photos to your Facebook story without having to touch anything. It’s gone hands-free. You’ll need to go into the Meta View app and connect your Facebook account, but otherwise, you’re free to tell your glasses to share whatever it is you’re looking at that simply must be shared right that second. So not quite as big a deal as when the Ray-Ban Meta tripled their recording time.

Read more
Snapchat is getting critical new security features. Here’s what’s new
Snapchat 2022 year in review recap.

Snapchat friend request safeguards Snapchat

Snapchat is taking privacy more seriously, with the company announcing a suite of new security features on Tuesday. These include updates to expanded in-app warnings, enhanced friend protections, simplified location sharing, and blocking improvements. The move appears to be in response to a recent report by Bloomberg of predators targeting teens on the app, along with news of multiple teen suicides.

Read more