Facebook taking on Snapchat with disappearing messages
Facebook is trying out messages that will self-destruct within an hour after sending.
Sound familiar? That’s probably because that’s exactly how rival Snapchat works.
This isn’t the first time Facebook has attempted to muscle in on Snapchat’s popularity, either. The social media giant, which incidentally offered to buy Snapchat for $3bn back in 2013, previously launched the separate app Slingshot, with similar ephemeral functionality.
This time, however, it’s building the disappearing messages right into its existing chat app Messenger, giving users the option to send messages that self-destruct.
French Facebook users will be the first to try this new feature, as the company is trialling it there first, but the disappearing messages may be rolled out to further markets in future, as a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement:
We’re excited to announce the latest in an engaging line of optional product features geared towards making Messenger the best way to communicate with the people that matter most.
Disappearing messages gives people another fun option to choose from when they communicate on Messenger.
Facebook has been going from strength to strength in recent weeks. With its share price soaring after posting revenues soaring by 41 per cent, the company’s value recently broke through its $300bn roof.