After failing to either copy or buy the popular ephemeral messaging app Facebook is readying another attempt to win back users from Snapchat.
Facebook has decided to launch its own standalone application for sending short video messages. It has been working for several months on this idea and internally the app known as Slingshot.
The app will allow users to send short video messages with just a couple of taps of the screen. Slingshot could be launched this month, but one person said that, while cautioning that Facebook might still decide not to proceed with launching the product.
Mr Zuckerberg, Facebook’s man of power, has been running the top-secret project after failing to pursue Snapchat’s creators, Mr. Evan Spiegel and Mr. Bobby Murphy, with a $3bn takeover offer late last year.
You can observe the growing popularity of simple messaging apps, such as WeChat, Line and KakaoTalk and this would be the threat for the Facebook.
According to Mr. Geoff Blaber, mobile analyst at CCS Insight “Snapchat over-indexes with the very segment where Facebook has cited falling engagement: teenagers. The continued introduction of new services, either organically or by acquisition, is essential to maintaining user engagement.”
The best thing about snapchat is that after viewing the content send through it, it disappears from the receivers’ mobile phone and this might be the reason of its popularity. Facebook, to gain a competitive advantage must bring something innovative in its simple chat app.