Neowin®

Microsoft has updated Skype Preview with even more features. Following the addition of voice message transcriptions, Microsoft's messenger got 25 new AR lenses made in collaboration with Snap.

Snap has reported that it now has 800 million monthly active users. The last time we heard about MAUs was in February last year when the figure stood at 750 million users, showing it's growing.

Snap, the parent company of the social network Snapchat, has just announced plans to lay off about 10 percent of its workforce, or 529 of its employees, in the latest such job cuts in the tech space.

Under the Digital Services Act, the European Commission is strengthening controls on online platforms to ensure the safety of users, especially, children regarding content shared online.

Several Big Tech companies are using a new scheme called Lantern to tackle predators using their services to target children. It will allow for more comprehensive investigations into predators.

The new Dreams feature will allow people to upload selfie pictures and then turn them, via generative AI, into animated pieces of digital artwork that can be shared with other Snapchat users.

Snap has launched a new Lens Creator Rewards scheme that pays creators of popular AR lenses up to $7,200 per month. The performance of lenses will be measured in the United States, India, and Mexico.

Snapchat users who have switched on their Public Profile can now add Linktree links to their bio. If you're a content creator this can help to give your other social network accounts a boost.

Snap has announced that it now has more than four million subscribers. The service launched a year ago today. Despite the introduction of Snapchat+, it saw lower revenues in the first quarter.

Snap Research has published a new paper outlining a method called SnapFusion that could cut down the time to make artwork via generative AI to less than two seconds in the future on a mobile device.

Ubuntu snap developers can now progressively release their apps to end users. This will let app creators test their app among a subsection of users to ensure there are no lingering bugs.

Meta has been added to a lawsuit filed by a school board against tech firms which allegedly contribute to social media addiction and mental health problems among children by promoting toxic content.

One of the main features of Snapchat is Snap Streaks, which requires users to send daily snaps to friends within a 24-hour window. If a streak broke it used to be difficult to get it back, until now.

Ubuntu's snapd now lets you hold automatic updates if you're in the edge channel. You can choose to pause updates for a period of time or indefinitely. It should eventually be available for all.

In addition to laying off a fifth of its workforce, Snap is also shuttering its startup accelerator program called Yellow. The program extended $150K funding and mentoring to promising startups.

Snap has laid off 20% of its staff and cut original shows. It is also switching its focus to augmented reality and growing its community in an attempt to grow more revenue in the long term.

Snapchat has finally released the much awaited feature named "Dual Camera" that lets you record videos from both the front and the rear cameras simultaneously. The feature was part of Director Mode.

The miniature selfie drone from Snapchat's parent company is currently available on Snap's official website. However, the company's CEO has indicated that Snap is halting further work on Pixy.

Snapchat's new parental controls try to mimic real-life parenting without compromising privacy. Parents just need to link their accounts to their teens through an opt-in invite process. Here's how!

Have you ever been on a website and thought “I wish I could see this webpage, and another application at the same time on the same screen?” Join us in this week's Tech Tip Tuesday to find out how!

With its Snap AR community, Snapchat is determined to prove the value and impact of AR by developing the latest Lens capabilities, tools, and infrastructure including Lens Studio, and Lens Cloud.

Snap, the company behind Snapchat, has announced Pixy, a tiny camera drone that starts at just $230. It has simple controls and doesn't need FAA registration to fly. It operates via the Snapchat app.

Snapchat shows solidarity for Ukraine by halting all advertising in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. It will continue delivering its Snapchat app in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia as a communications tool.

Snap has announced that it now allows you to share your live location with trusted friends on Snapchat. The feature is off by default but can be enabled for short periods of time with those you trust.

Snap has extended content deals with Disney, ViacomCBS, and NBCUniversal. This will see them continue to provide shows in Snapchat Discover and even increase the number of shows available.

Snapchat's Scan feature can now suggest recipes to users based on the ingredients they scan. The data for this feature is provided by Allrecipes and Wikipedia. Food Scan is only available in the U.S.

Snap brings a global creative studio to serve the AR needs of creators, agencies and brands across platforms. Currently, Arcadia has partnerships with Shake Shack, WWE, Verizon and P&G Beauty.

Snap has announced the launch of My Places on the Snap Map. It allows you to discover millions of businesses, recommend places, and get recommendations from your friends and the wider community.

Snap has announced a licensing deal with Universal Music Group. It will allow Snapchat users to include UMG music in their Snaps through the Sounds and Lenses features to make content more engaging.

WaveOptics is the supplier for displays in Snap's newest SPS 2021 Spectacles. The announcement comes a day after Snap launched its new product which is only available to select creators for now.

Snap has unveiled its SPS 2021 Spectacles. Unlike other Spectacles devices, the SPS 2021 will not be going on sale, instead, it's being reserved for Lens creators so they can create AR Lenses.

Snap Inc and Oxford Economics have released a new report which says Gen Z will drive the economic recovery thank to their aptitude with technology. It said they'll also adopt AR first.

San Francisco-based grocery delivery service provider Instacart has announced that it will start taking Electronic Benefit Transfer and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program stamps as payments.

Snapchat can now scan food and wine labels. The feature works in a similar manner to other food and wine apps, displaying nutritional details about a product upon scanning its barcode.

Snapchat is experimenting with a vertical swiping motion for users to move through videos in the Discover page. The latest experiment is seen as Snapchat's move to challenge TikTok.

Snap Inc has partnered with artist Damien Hirst and Partners in Health (PIH) to launch a spin painting lens which will also encourage people to donate to PIH to help fight against COVID-19