Facebook Unveils Slingshot 2.0 With Snapchat Stories-Style Features

After launching its Slingshot app in June for both Android and iOS-based handsets, Facebook on December 4 announced the updated Slingshot 2.0 app with new features based on users' feedback.

Slingshot 2.0 users can now follow their friends, and will see new content divided into shots and reactions tabs - along with a new swipe-based navigation. In the new app version, the images will still expire after 24 hours, or after the recipient has viewed it.

Also, a new Explore section in the Slingshot 2.0 app helps users find friends and find Slingshot creators to follow. Users can also turn on notifications. The redesigned app with the ability to follow people is being compared to Snapchat's Stories feature, and as The Next Web points out, Slingshot 2.0 users can skip posts and 'react' privately to individual images and videos in the feed directly along with filters, drawings, and captions. Users will be able to preview the reactions before sending them.

Some of the other improvements made in the Slingshot 2.0 app include sharing fullscreen images and looping videos in two taps, five new photo filters, easy swipe-style design between different sections, sharing Slingshot images to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and others. "We've made a number of improvements around the app to make it faster, more reliable and more delightful," added the blog post.

Notably, in August, Facebook updated its original Slingshot app adding the 'reactions to reactions' feature that allowed a Slingshot app user to reply (or react) to any reaction with an image, video or even text.

The new Slingshot 2.0 app is available for devices running iOS 7 and higher, or Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and higher.