Snapchat has added the ability to chat in groups for the first time, as the chat app looks to take on the likes of WhatsApp, Instgram and Facebook Messenger.
Under the new update up to 16 people can be added to one group.
Like regular messages in Snapchat, group chats are only visible for 24 hours before they disappear.
The move is perhaps one of its biggest launches in recent years. The company has been gradually looking to become more of a centre for people to have conversations, something that was severely limited by its inability to have group conversations like competitors including WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
“The holidays are a great time to hang out with friends and spend time with family – it’s always better together!” the company, which has been rebranded as “Snap, Inc”, wrote in a blog post. “We couldn’t think of a better time to announce Groups, a new way to communicate with up to 16 friends on Snapchat.”
Groups can be made either when sending a new snap or when opening a new chat. They are started the same as a one-on-one conversation, but include a range of other people.
Snapchat is adding three more features alongside group chatting in an app update on Monday: a scissors tool that turns part of a photo into a digital sticker, a paintbrush tool that creates an artistic filter over a photo or video, and Shazam integration for recognizing music playing around you while you record video.