In its continuing battle for dominance in the apps market, social media giant Facebook has copied another feature from video-snippet-oriented social network Snapchat in the form of its custom geofilters. Facebook calls them "Frames" that allow users to customize text, add effects on their photos and receive special ones for attending a special event -- say a baseball game.
According to The Guardian, "Frames" allow users to create their own frames, overlay them on their images and videos using the Camera Effects platform that Britain -- and then Ireland, Mexico, Colombia and Taiwan -- Facebook users can use first. By taking their 'Frames' feature into the personalization level and allowing users to add location details to their photos, Facebook has officially cloned Snapchat's custom geofilters.
The new 'Frames' upgrade is not the first time Facebook copied from Snapchat's features. According to The Verge, Facebook's "Slingshot" is a spinoff on Snapchat's messaging app. "Slingshot's" difference is that you need to send your own "Slingshot" message to the other user before you can view their message -- a pre-emptive response that may or may not make sense.
Snapchat should feel flattered by now because after all, imitation is the best form of flattery. In a business competitive sense, imitation is a form of doing business. Facebook has cloned many features from Instagram to Snapchat. In Ireland, it had tried imitating both the visual-oriented social networks' filter and lens photo features.
Despite a plethora of cloned features elsewhere, Facebook ensures its features are only add-ons. Any user happy with their basic Facebook app could do away with extra features. "Facebook Live" is probably the only basic app-integrated new feature in existence. Its "Events" app is useful for monitoring events that friends and family are attending and can even synchronize with your own smartphone calendar quickly.
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