Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

SnapChat officially changed its name to Snap, Inc. as the company restyles itself from a one-[major] hit app company into a digital lifestyle brand. To mark the occasion, Snap, Inc. introduced Spectacles, fashion and tech-forward sunglasses that record 10-second clips, which can then be uploaded to SnapChat Memories via wifi. Following the Apple playbook, Snap, Inc. also designed a fashionable case that doubles as a charger. Spectacles will be available this Fall and will cost $130.

Spectacles are the result of a secret acquisition in December 2014 of VergenceLabs, which developed Epiphany Eyewear to record video clips with the press of a button on the side of the frame and upload them online via its app. Over the last 19 months, Snap, Inc. remodeled Epiphany into a fun, but thoughtful sunglass package to give Snappers a way to share their perspective hands-free.

By pressing a small button on the side of the glasses, Spectacles capture video through a 115-degree lens, which better conveys someone’s natural perspective and field of vision. Those on the other side of the lens, will know they’re being recorded because of a halo-like light that surrounds the lens. Unlike smartphones, which record video in a rectangular format, video via Spectacles is circular, allowing the viewer to watch the content naturally, whether in portrait or landscape mode, the way the user “saw” it. Essentially, clips offer a playback experience that simulates your natural point of view....

A primer on the photosharing service that Facebook reportedly offered to buy for $3 billion.

.... How does Snapchat actually work?

Once you've found your friends on Snapchat, you can simply start taking pictures and sending them out to as many friends as you want.The app has a couple of distinguishing features in terms of photo taking. One, users can draw on their photos. So that's funny sometimes. Two, you can caption any photo. Three, you get to set how long — from 1-10 seconds — the photograph will be visible to receivers. Crucially, too, the app tells you when your snaps are opened by the receiver. You know they saw it....