Snapchat, the popular multimedia messaging app, has introduced two new features that aim to make it easier for users to create and share videos. The features, called Sounds Recommendations and Sounds Sync, are now available for iOS users in the United States and will be rolled out worldwide. Android users can use Sounds Recommendations right away but will have to wait until March to try Sounds Sync.
Sounds Recommendations suggests music relevant to the augmented reality Lens being used. For example, if a bread Lens is being used, the user will see a list of toast-related songs, as well as the most popular overall tracks. Meanwhile, Sounds Sync creates montage videos that are in sync with the beat of tunes in the Sounds collection. The user will need between four and 20 photos or videos to create these montage videos.
Snap’s goal with these new features is to make it easier for users to create videos, thereby encouraging them to post more frequently on Snapchat. According to Snap music strategy lead Manny Adler, these features also present a “unique opportunity” for musicians to reach listeners who may play full songs after hearing them in someone’s video.
These new features come at a good time for Snap, as the company’s audience is growing after a turbulent 2022. Despite laying off roughly 1,300 workers last summer, the app has reached 750 million monthly active users. While it still trails behind competitors like Instagram, which had two billion monthly active users as of last fall, Snap’s additions like Sounds Recommendations and Sync may help it maintain its growth and stay ahead of the competition.
