Vine has added private video and text messaging to the app in its latest update, which the company says is the most significant yet.
You can now send one-on-one video and text messages, called VMs, as well as send one message to multiple people, which starts different conversations--but there is no group chatting. Snapchat added the ability to send videos in the past, so a natural move for Vine is of course to add individual messaging to its app in order to compete in available features.
You can send Vine messages to people who aren't using the app, too--they will receive them in the forms of SMS or email.
Another big feature may be on the way, but is not part of the latest update and hasn't been officially announced. The Verge reports a Vine from user MarksBasementRecords (since deleted) reveals the ability to upload a video from your device's camera roll. The company has so far been insistent that videos posted on Vine must be filmed from within the app and have refused to add this feature, but it could be on the way if that Vine is to be believed.
Instagram has offered the ability to upload pictures and videos that were already on your device since August, and it looks Vine will be giving in to this request. Like with the Snapchat comparison, feature matching is important to these companies in building and maintaining user bases. Adding these features can make users stick around, but leaving them out can cause people to migrate to the competition.
Source: The Verge
