Justin Kasser | Staff Reporter

For this week’s App of the Issue, I uncover the new and improved Snapchat. For those rare Menlo students who do not own the beloved piece of social media, Snapchat is a quick-pic app that allows you to shoot photos, videos, and messages back and forth with friends. “Snappers” will have “Best Friends” on the app, the users they frequently Snap. Another integral part of the app is your “Story” which allows you to post a photo or video for your entire contact list to view as many times as they please for 24 hours. With filters, themes, live videochatting, and many other features, this app has remained among the top social media applications for years now.

However, this AotW is examining the updated Snapchat. On Tuesday, January 27th, Snapchat rolled out some new features to go alongside the app’s pure purpose of sending between one to ten second pics or videos.

The first major change is the new section, “Discover.” Alongside the familiar pages of camera, Snapchat Stories, and the sent/received page, the new addition features many icons of popular cultural areas. Ranging from ESPN highlights to the Yahoo New stories, Snapchat has combined the fun attitude of socializing with the ability to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not.

With the new Snapchat, gone is the ability to view your friend’s “Best Friends.” Previously, when scrolling down your contacts, you had the option to see which of your friends were friends with other friends. However, now that part of the page is primarily focused on being the hub for all of the Snapchat Stories.

Finally, Snapchat has updated it’s overall look, modernizing pieces of the application and providing a current, fresh look to the user. By placing the contact management part of the app centrally above the camera, there is more room for new additions like “Discover.” Snapchat is continuing to add different photo filters and themes, and maintains its position of being the app everyone wants. This update of the app merely solidifies the more reason to own this app and use it where and whenever.

Continue to check back in to the App of the Week for more news about the hottest apps!