Students said they felt mixed emotions after the Snapchat app announced efforts to improve communication Tuesday.
Chat 2.0 incorporated new features that mimic “face-to-face conversation,” allowing users to switch between video chatting, texting and calling, the company announced.
Monica Huynh, a 19-year-old UF biology sophomore, said the updates can be overwhelming.
“Sometimes I think it’s best to keep things simple,” she said. “I liked Snapchat because it didn’t have the millions of features that other messaging apps have; now it’s kind of annoying.”
Snapchat also introduced Auto-Advance Stories, changing the way users view a 24-hour feed of photographs and videos posted by fellow users.
Stories now transition seamlessly from one user to the next, whereas Snapchatters previously had to click individual friends to view their stories.
Along with the free features, Snapchat now charges users for the ability to replay a Snap. As of press time, Snapchatters can purchase three Replays for 99 cents, 10 Replays for $2.99, and 20 replays for $4.99.
Endy Morales, a 21-year-old UF criminology senior, said he enjoys the more than 200 stickers — including walruses, sloths, aliens and Snapchat’s signature ghost — included in the updates.
“I love the new sloth emojis,” Morales said. “But I wish there was a way to turn off autoplay; I liked choosing whose stories I watched.”
