The worst-kept secret in social networking arrives today in the U.S.: Facebook's Slingshot app is now available for iOS and Android owners.
Reports of the Snapchat-like Slingshot first emerged in May, and the actual app accidentally leaked last week before it was yanked offline. Now, Slingshot officially hits smartphones this week, with the promise of "a space [to] share everyday moments with lots of people at once."
Similar to Snapchat, the app allows users to send messages that eventually self-destruct—fostering creativity. But the developer team at Facebook's Creative Labs added a new twist: recipients cannot view your content until they've sent a message in return.
The move could tap into user's curiosity, or just leave tons of unviewed images sitting in your inbox.
And while Slingshot allows the addition of captions and drawings to photos, it also offers a different take on the ephemeral messaging concept. Users can save unlocked "shots" for later; but as soon as the message is swiped away, it is deleted.
"With Slingshot, we wanted to build something where everybody is a creator and nobody is just a spectacular," the development team said. "When everyone participates, there's less pressure, more creativity and even the little things in life can turn into awesome shared experiences."
Available now for free download in the iTunes App Store (and as soon as this afternoon in Google Play), Slingshot lets you shoot a photo or video, add text, emojis, and color, then "sling" it to friends.
Facebook isn't the only company investing in temporary messaging. Yahoo last month purchased the Snapchat-esque Blink, then shuttered the iOS and Android apps.
But developers beware: Snapchat landed in hot water when it misled customers about their automatically disappearing photos. The Federal Trade Commission in May announced a settlement, which requires Snapchat to implement a comprehensive privacy program, and submit to monitoring for the next 20 years.