Snapchat will soon impose a new policy that would charge users who want to keep more than 5GB of old videos and photos using the app’s “Memories” function. This service, which has been available for free since 2016, allows users to store photographs and videos that were initially uploaded for a period of 24 hours.
The company, via its blog post, said, “When we first launched Memories, we never expected it to grow to what it has become today. We want to make sure that our community can continue to store all of their Memories over the long term, so we are introducing new Memories Storage Plans to support Snapchatters with more than 5GB of Memories.”
For the majority of Snapchat users, known as Snapchatters, those with less than 5GB of saved Memories will experience no changes to their service. However, for Snapchatters who exceed this limit and have thousands of Snaps, additional storage upgrade options are being introduced. The newly launched Memories Storage Plans offer customers varying levels of storage capacity: 100GB, 250GB with the Snapchat+ subscription, and a significant 5TB option through Snapchat Platinum. These additions are intended to meet the rising demands of users with bigger collections of Memories on the Platform.
Also Read: Comet Plus, Perplexity AI new browser is now available for free globally
According to the firm, since the debut of Memories in 2016, Snapchat users have stored over 1 trillion Memories. Unlike the camera roll full of duplicates and screenshots, Memories on Snapchat are unique because Snapchatters choose to save the moments that really matter.
Snapchat provides a temporary Memories storage option for 12 months to users whose Memories exceed the 5GB limit. Users can upgrade to a Memories Storage Plan at any time and download their Memories directly to their devices.
Also Read: Amazon unveiled AI-powered Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 11
The latest move to switch to a paid storage model is part of a global rollout and has sparked widespread criticism and anxiety among users, particularly those who have large archives of saved data. The platform’s transition away from free storage raises concerns about user accessibility and contentment, echoing larger trends in commercialisation throughout social media platforms.