Facebook’s Snapchat Competitor

Facebook is about to get head-to-head with Snapchat. Here’s everything you need to know to be an early-adopter.

Snapchat had dominated the ‘disappearing story’ market for years. Since its launch, it has had a monopoly on the attention of 13- 17-year-olds the world over. But this year, things got a little less comfortable on planet Snapchat.

Earlier this year, Facebook-owned Instagram launched their very own version of Snapchat, called Instagram stories. With almost identical features, but a huge half a billion people already using the app, Instagram had a head start that few other competitors could match.

That is until now.

This month Facebook released into the wild their very own Snapchat-esque app.

Currently in beta testing with a small number of users in Australia, Messenger Day is Facebook’s answer to instant photo and video messaging.

As reported by WIRED, the company had deployed the app to a group of users from within the Messenger app, giving them the ability to create public stories as well as send private messages, just as they’re accustomed to doing so on similar platforms.

Photos and videos can be overlaid with filters, stickers, drawings and text, before being published for just 24 hours.

When first posting to a story, Facebook prompts users with a message that reads “Everything you add disappearing from your day after 24 hours. You can always see who views what you add. Anyone can see your day, or you can choose who is able to see it in Settings.” That’s right – its functionality is almost identical to Snapchat.

Although Facebook confirmed that it is testing the product, there is no official word on when users can expect to see it active on their device.

For now, the best everyone can do is ready as much as possible as Messenger Day develops, to be in the best position possible to act when it launches.

We’ll keep you updated.