Snapchat has announced users will now have to pay to use the app’s ‘memories’ feature, if storage on an account exceeds 5GB.
Introduced in 2016, the feature keeps your ‘snaps’ for future viewing without using storage and can then be accessed by logging into your account on any device you choose, like a shared drive.
Snapchat said: “For the vast majority of Snapchatters, who have less than 5GB of Memories, nothing will change. For Snapchatters with more than 5GB of Memories, meaning thousands of Snaps, we are rolling out new options to upgrade and increase storage. The introductory Memories Storage Plans offer 100GB, 250GB with Snapchat+, or 5TB with Snapchat Platinum.”
Snapchat have also announced that they will provide 12 months of temporary storage for Snapchatters with over 5GB of storage.
Claudia Evans, Social Media and Content Manager at Blaze Media, believes Snapchat have a solid strategy. “From a business point of view, Snapchat charging users to access their Memories is a smart financial move. Many users rely on Memories as a form of extra phone storage almost, with years of photos and videos saved on the platform. In that sense, Snapchat knows it’s offering something users are deeply attached to – and most will likely pay if it means being able to revisit old moments. For users, it’s understandably frustrating. Memories are such a personal feature, and having to pay for access to something that’s always been free will feel like a step backwards. Still, I think many people will reluctantly accept the change because of how much content they already have stored there.”
Claudia added “More broadly, I think this is part of a growing trend where social media platforms are putting premium features behind paywalls. We’ve already seen this with things like Snapchat+ and Instagram’s paid verification. I don’t think we’ll ever see social media become entirely pay-to-use – the appeal of these platforms lies in their accessibility. If everything went behind a paywall, users would simply move to the next free alternative.”
Snapchat is just one of the apps that has defined a generation, Olivia aged 20 said “I am very angry, I have thousands of memories on there. They only care about money.”
