Just one day after Instagram finally launched live video broadcasts for U.S. users, Snapchat has announced a pretty major update of its own. Snapchat has added the ability to create and manage Group Chats, a "new way to communicate" with as many as 16 people at once. You got 16 friends that are crucial enough to warrant being in a Snapchat Group? Good for you. That's awesome.
"Groups can be created while sending a Snap, or when you're making a new Chat," Team Snap said in a press release Tuesday. "When your friends are present in a Group Chat, we show their name at the bottom of the Chat. Simply tap their name to start a 1:1 Chat, and then easily return to the Group in one swipe! We call this Quick Chat, and it's the fastest way to keep the conversation going with one friend without spamming the entire Group."
So these messages just hang out forever, serving as a constant reminder of how annoying everyone you know really is? Nah. Thankfully, every chat sent to a Group is automatically deleted after 24 hours and can only be opened and replayed once by each group member.
In addition to the Group Chat flex, Snapchat has introduced a pair of fresh Creative Tools: Scissor and Paintbrush. Scissors allow you to chop up your Snaps and make stickers, while the Paintbrush possesses the ability to turn a Snap "into an artistic masterpiece." Also, for anyone who still uses Shazam, you can apparently do that shit inside Snapchat now:
Your move, Instagram. Also: Simple Plan rules.
