Facebook is planning to take on popular ephemeral messaging app Snapchat by developing its own video and photo messaging app. According to the Financial Times, the social network is calling the app Slingshot that will let user share videos and photos that are self destructing.
The app which is in making for several months and could be ready for release on the major smartphone platforms by the end of this month. It likely possible that the app will not be integrated with Facebook’s other apps like Facebook Messenger.
Slingshot is reported to have video chat and will let users send photos or short videos that can only be viewed once to their friends by tapping on their profile pictures.The report however, does not mention on which platforms will the app be available.
This is not the first time Facebook has tried its hand on ephemeral message service. It launched Poke in 2012 which failed miserably and hence it took down the service earlier this month. Snapchat which recently added support for instant messaging, has become incredibly popular with teenagers on mobile. Facebook had tried to acquire Snapchat for $3 billion last year, but was turned down by Snapchat.
Source: Financial Times