WhatsApp Rivals SnapChat, Adds Photo, Video Editing Feature

WhatsApp on Monday introduced new features to its in-app camera.

The Facebook-owned company announced new enhancements for its camera feature, including the ability to write or draw on photos and videos. You can also add an emoji for those times your photos need a little extra spice, like a cartoon taco or a smiling turd.

Rolling out now to Android phones, and expected to reach iOS users soon, the function takes cues from Snapchat, Instagram, and Skype—all of which allow the addition of text and doodles to images. On WhatsApp,

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editing tools appear automatically after capturing a new photo or video, or sharing one that’s saved on the phone. When adding text, experiment by changing the color and font style, as well.

The new editing tools include a new pencil tool and T button. Similar to how it works in Snapchat, these tools are used to scribble or draw on photos clicked by the app’s camera.

“Whether you’re drawing a big red heart to show how much you miss someone or adding your favorite emoji—sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words,” WhatsApp said in a blog post.

The camera feature also supports front-facing flash, which basically means your screen will brighten before it takes the shot. This can help you perfect your selfies in low-light situations. Videos are also getting a zoom feature; just slide your finger up or down to move in or out. The quality however depends on how good your phone’s camera is.

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The company added the ability to double-tap to switch between the front- and rear-facing cameras as well.

It’s not the first time rival communications services have looked to compete with SnapChat. Earlier this year Instagram introduced a Story feature that works in a similar way to SnapChat stories – enabling users to knit together posts throughout the day into a single ‘story’ for followers to see.

In January, WhatsApp reached a milestone 1 billion monthly users, who send 42 billion messages, 1.6 billion photos, and 250 million videos every day.

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