Snapchat Rolls Out New Features For Shared Content Creation

As of May 23, Snapchat users are getting at least one new feature geared toward creating and sharing memories with others. The new feature, christened “Custom Stories” by Snap Inc., and its accompanying enhancements will effectively allow users a greater amount of control over how their snaps are both created and shared. Custom Stories allow users to create chats with friends and family, or by user location. More specifically, users get to decide who can view a given Story and, perhaps better still, which of those users are able to add to it. Stories can also be created about anything and can even be given what Snap calls a geofence to tie the Story itself to a specific location around the globe. To create a new story, users only need to tap the Create Story button at the top right-hand corner of the Stories page. The update is rolling out now and anybody interested can check the Play Store button below if they don’t already have the app installed.

There are only two apparent drawbacks to the new feature. First, if no contributions are made to a story for 24 hours, that story disappears. Snap Inc. has not given any indication at all as to whether it will be possible to export or save stories outside of the Snapchat app, which may come as a disappointment to any users who hoped to be able to keep them. Users will also only be able to create a total of 3 Custom Stories at a time. On the other hand, users will be able to contribute to other users’ Stories as much they want.

Although the listed caveats are all but guaranteed to bother some users, Snap Inc. says that the new features have been requested for quite some time. It is entirely possible that any complaints about the update will be addressed with tweaks in future updates as the company vies to stay ahead of the competition. As to this particular update, and as with all app update rollouts, users shouldn’t worry too much if they have not seen it hit their devices yet. It should arrive within a few days if it hasn’t already. In the meantime, Snap Inc. also released a YouTube Video alongside the new feature, which you can watch below.