Snapchat Update Adds Filters and Replay Feature

Snapchat this week got some pretty big features that add new dynamics to the platform, described by CEO Evan Spiegel as nice little gifts heading into the holiday period. For one, you can now lather filters over pictures you snap, which in all honesty takes some of the crudeness out of the service. It’s quite obviously meant to keep parity with other completing platforms—but filters aren’t the only new feature being added. The snaps you’re snapping can now be replayed, and more.

In addition to the simple visual features, Snapchat also includes what are being called “smart filters,” which can overlay the weather on your picture (supplied by the Weather Channel), your speed (sounds like a dangerous enabler) and the current time if something like that is important to you. The various filters can be applied once an image is pulled up by swiping left or right, so the implementation is obviously quite easy and seamless.

The more interesting feature, however, is the addition of Replay, which allows users to replay one snap per day—doesn’t matter if it’s a picture or a video, you can replay once every 24 hours. Spiegel said too many users were partially missing messages friends were sending, and wanted to give folks the opportunity to essentially jump back in time. Photos and videos that can be replayed are still deleted from Snapchat’s servers, Spiegel assured, and after you replay that particular photo or video, it’s gone from your feed like normal.

Other added features include special text, front-facing flash and the ability to add up to seven best friends. Spiegel told The Verge that the company is currently “in between big update cycles,” so more is certainly to come. Each of the new features can be enabled by going into your settings, then to additional services, and then manage.