Snapchat adds 'infinity loop' option for images and videos
Popular messaging app Snapchat is to allow users to view shared content without a time limit, introducing "limitless snaps" and "looping videos" to its platform.
The move is a major update as time-limited images and video had been one of the services signature features.
Until now, senders had been able to put a time limit of up to ten seconds on content they share - this option will remain, but a new infinity option will enable recipients to view images until they choose to close it.
Snapchat has said photos and videos sent will still be deleted once they are closed by the recipient.
Other additions include a "magic eraser" tool, which enable users to edit and remove objects and imperfections from images and a "draw with emojis" tool that allows users to draw colourful animations onto their photos.
The app, which is extremely popular with teenage smartphone users, has more than 158 million daily active users globally, and over ten million in the UK.
But Snapchat's has found itself under increasing pressure from Facebook in recent months as the social network has added features to its own service that are similar to those on Snapchat.
Snapchat floated on the US stock market for the first time earlier this year, having been valued at more than £17 billion ahead of its initial public offering (IPO) in March.
The app was created by current chief executive Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown when they were students together at Stanford University.