Facebook’s has relaunched the standalone Slingshot media messaging app it hopes will ensnare some of the Snapchat crowd and bring them back underneath the company’s sizeable social umbrella.
The firm began working on a new version of the app following its launch in June due a myriad of teething problems, and now iOS and Android users can jump aboard with a revamped experience.
Slingshot initially launched as an app that allowed friends to exchange photos, under the premise that photos could not be viewed until one was sent back in the other direction. That’s now been completely ditched.
Instead, the app bares much more of a resemblance to Snapchat Stories as users can ‘Sling’ images to their followers all of which appear in a feed. The new app makes it easy for content to be viewed in full-screen mode and enables users to interact with their friends’ posts.
The idea is for users to upload an impression of their day, with those photos and videos hanging around for around 24 hours before being swiped away and replaced by new content, Facebook says in a blog post.
Although the new Slingshot is a much more communal experience, users can still send private messages and replies to the shared imagery with captioned, annotated and filtered photos and video “reactions”
Slingshot users can find their friends through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and can also view an Explore section where they’ll apparently find “hilarious, inspiring and rad people around the world” to follow.
Have you given the new Slingshot a shot? Share your experiences in the comments section below.
