Facebook’s new messaging app will go head-to-head with Snapchat

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facebook-mark-zuckerberg

Facebook vs. Snapchat: round 2… fight!

After turning down a $3 billion acquisition offer late last year, Facebook is reportedly working on out-Snapchatting Snapchat with a new video messaging app, referred to internally as “Slingshot.”

The service — which lets user send short messages to one another with just a few taps — could be launched as early as this month, although as of yet Facebook has not signed off on it.

Whatever final name is chosen for Slinghot, it will be separate from Facebook Messages.

This isn’t the first time Facebook has attempted to create its own version of Snapchat. In 2012, Facebook created Facebook Poke, a self-destructing messages app which, ironically, ended up self-destructing. After failing to make strides with it, Facebook ditched that app earlier this month, along with Facebook Camera.

It’s not yet known how Slingshot will be different, although it reportedly resembles the recently launched TapTalk. With all the negative publicity Snapchat has received as of late (note: it’s not quite as private as you thought), there’s definitely room for a more trusted competitor — although I’m less sure whether Facebook is any more trusted by the majority of users.

We’ll report back (hopefully with a review) when there’s more news.

Source: Financial Times

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