Snapchat announced that it had raised $13.5 million in funding over the weekend and now the chat app, famed for its self-destructing messages, has brought video to Android version through a limited private beta.
As TechCrunch reports, the link to the beta download expires at 2:00 AM PT, in keeping with Snapchat’s own self-combusting style. So Android-totting Snapchatters should head over there ASAP if they want to add video to the range of messages that they can send to friends via the service.
Snapchat video is much the same as images, and the clips — which can be up to 10-seconds in length — can be configured to disappear from view from between 1-10 seconds after being watched. The initially (limited) video launch for Android comes two months after the feature was added to the iOS app.
The chat service initially courted controversy off the back of claims that it was being used by teens and other young adults to send inappropriate messages –known as ‘sexting’ — thanks to the limited time that messages appear to recipients. However, regardless of the apparent minority of users that may have done that, the service has grown into a mainstream app in North America. Proof of that came when Facebook introduced ‘Poke’, its own take (/ripoff) of Snapchat.
Irrespective of the Facebook app — which rose to the top of the app store and sunk back down after Christmas — Snapchat continues on. Its new funding is said to value it at $60-70 million and the service is reportedly now seeing 60 million photos shared by its users each day.
Snapchat has also been busy beefing up its staff. TechCrunch reports it recently doubled its roster to 10 and moved into new office space.
➤ Snapchat for Android (beta with video)
➤ Snapchat: Google Play | App Store
Headline image via Zallio / Flickr
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