Following a hiccup where Facebook accidentally launched their new app, Slingshot, and then retracted it, the messaging services is now out in the wild, officially. Slingshot, which is being widely compared to self-destructing messaging app Snapchat, is quite closely related to its competitor in that users communicate by sending temporary messages to each other in either a video or picture format.

Unlike Snapchat, users won’t be able to see the messages that have been sent to them unless they reply with their own image or video – which can be modified with text or colours. Or, as Slingshot puts it:

“To get started on Slingshot, shoot a photo or video. It can be what you’re up to, who you’re with or a quick selfie. Add some text and color, then sling it to a bunch of friends. Here’s the deal: friends won’t be able to see your shot until they sling something back to you. They can then reply with a reaction—or simply swipe your shot away.”

If it sounds like your sort of thing, Slingshot is available on both iOS and Android but, at present, it’s only available for American users. We’re expecting a broader rollout in future.

Source: The Next Web