Snapchat rolls out more advanced video editing tools using outlet mode
Snapchat users on iOS and Android, now have access to a range of new video tools, including green screen and dual camera.
A series of Snapchat screens showcase new outlet mode features such as green screen, dual camera and other editing tools. Snapchat provides users with more powerful video tools through a new feature called outlet mode. It is available from today globally for iOS and Android. The director mode, which was first previewed in April, brings a few new features to shoot and edit videos on Snapchat, including some common features on other platforms. The green screen, for example, allows users to record videos with a background, similar to the TikTok filter of the same name. The dual camera, previously available to iOS users only, is the BeReal-esque feature that captures a photo or video both in front and back.
Other tools include quick editing, which allows users to cut and paste multiple videos together, and the camera speed feature to speed up or slow down videos. The outlet mode is available via a symbol on the main camera toolbar. People can use the output mode to create content to share with friends, but the focus on new editing tools comes when Snap tries to make an issue for Spotlight, its rival in TikTok. Snapchat introduced several programs to try to get creators to create videos for Spotlight, including challenges that pay money for the best videos using different lenses or sounds.
Promoting the use of Spotlight is one of Snap’s priorities. In an internal note distributed in September, CEO Evan Spiegel said he wanted 30 percent of Snapchat users to use Spotlight every day in 2023. The company recently told investors that participation in Stories had declined; Snap laid off about 20 percent of its staff this summer. Other platforms have updated their video editing tools to be closer to the TikTok experience. Instagram, for example, has consistently added features to Reels, such as the ability to import your audio, create longer short clips, and add interactive elements such as polls and tests. YouTube, too, plays a role for the dominance of TikTok, including opening its library of long videos so users can get parts of Shorts, the company’s TikTok version.