Snapchat is a messaging application that lets users share videos and pictures (called snaps), which disappear once viewed. The app is promoted as a ‘new kind of camera’, since the essential function of Snapchat is to take a picture or record a video, add filters or other effects, and share them with friends.
Alongside letting you connect with friends, Snapchat offers a number of other features, including games, quizzes, news, entertainment, and innovative video- and photo-editing tools.
History
Snapchat was developed by Snap Inc. (originally Snapchat Inc.). The app was created by Reggie Brown, Bobby Murphy, and Evan Spiegel, former students at Stanford University in California. As per deposition statements and other documents, Reggie Brown came up with the idea for an app with a disappearing-pictures feature. He brought this idea to Evan Spiegel due to Spiegel’s prior experience in entrepreneurship.
The two then roped in Bobby Murphy, who had coding experience. The trio worked together for several months and, on July 8 2011, launched Picaboo on the IOS operating system. Reggie Brown was forced out of the company after just a few months of its launch.
The team improved the app’s user experience and technical aspects and, in September 2011, re-launched it under the name Snapchat.
In May 2012, Reggie Brown reached out to Evan Spiegel and proposed renegotiating his company ownership percentage. Snapchat lawyers claimed that Brown made no valuable contributions to the company and, therefore, was entitled to nothing. After a lengthy legal battle, Spiegel eventually accepted a settlement offering him $157.5 million along with credit as one of the original creators of Snapchat.
How Does Snapchat Work?
To create a Snapchat account, you need to provide your name, date of birth, and email address. Like Twitter, every Snapchat user has a unique handle. To add friends, you can either search for people you know or upload your phone contacts. Another way of adding someone to your friend’s list is by taking a picture of their unique user QR code (called ‘Snapcode’).
This is when things start to get somewhat confusing. On Snapchat, it is photos – and not texts – that initiate conversations. To begin a conversation, you need to tap the round camera icon in the bottom-center of the screen, and take a picture (or Snap).
As mentioned, there are a wide range of filters, effects, and other editing tools you can apply on your pictures. Once you have edited your snap, you can either send it to your friend(s) or upload it as a story where it will be viewable to your friends for the next 24 hours.
Snapchat also offers group stories and group texting to which everyone who is part of the group can contribute.
Service Reliability
Service reliability is essential for Snapchat users. Users often complain about the app crashing on their iPhones and Androids, which can be a major inconvenience for them. Service outages are particularly frustrating when users are trying to take and edit their pictures or videos, connecting with friends, or maintaining ‘Snapstreaks’ (a Snapstreak begins when two people send snaps to each other for three consecutive days, and continues until at least one of the two users fails to send a snap over a 24-hour period).
When the app crashes, it often leads to unshared pictures, incomplete conversations, and dissatisfied users. This page collects service outage stats from around the world to help Snapchat users in Canada to avoid frustration caused by frequent app crashes.
Is Snapchat down right now? Outages map and statistics
If you’re a Snapchat user in Canada, you can now check this map to see if there are any service outages in your area. The map, which is updated in real-time, shows the precise locations of any outages so you can always be sure you have the most up-to-date information. The map will also show details of any ongoing outages. In other words, this map can help you ensure that app outages or crashes do not affect your Snapchat streaks, scores, and interactions.
The second chart is a graph that compares the number of outage reports received for Snapchat on the current day (blue line) with the number of outage reports received last week (gray line, for instance, outages reported this Wednesday v/s outages reported last Wednesday).
A sudden and significant increase in outages reported today (blue line) could suggest a problem with the Snapchat servers or with the app itself.
This data lets you understand the current outage situation in your region and surrounding ones and make Snapchat usage decisions accordingly.
The third chart illustrates the number and details of outages for the current calendar year. It is very useful for users because it helps them to see if there has been an increase or decrease in outages since the beginning of the year. years. For instance, if there is a sharp increase in the number of reported Snapchat problems this year, it may be suggestive of a major issue or disruption in the company’s operations.
Most common problems reported in the last 48 hours
The table below shows Air Canada customers’ most frequent problems reported in the last 48 hours.
Are you currently experiencing problems with Air Canada? Share your thoughts, tips, and frustrations with others using the form below.
