Facebook has pulled its SlingShot messaging app just hours after going live on Tuesday, as the social network looks to rival SnapChat.
Slingshot will let users to quickly send short video messages and photos to friends, the contents of which will then expire after a single view. Users can also annotate these messages with text and other drawings.
Facebook recently set the app live on the App Store in a handful of countries. However, the Slingshot app was pulled by Facebook shortly thereafter.
Speaking to technology blog The Verge, a Facebook representative said that Slingshot’s publishing had been an accident.
“Earlier today, we accidentally released a version of Slingshot, a new app we’re working on,” reads the statement. “With Slingshot, you’ll be able to share everyday moments with lots of people at once. It’ll be ready soon and we’re excited for you to try it out.”
One key difference to SnapChat is Slingshot’s requirement to reply to a message before being able to view a received image, in an attempt to get users active on this new service.
Another noteworthy feature is the ability to hit a React button when viewing a message, which will instantly capture and send the user’s reaction.