Facebook accidentally launched its Snapchat competitor, Slingshot, on Apple App Store in select countries but then quickly pulled it down.
Facebook, the biggest social networking company, is breaking up its core functions to create multiple apps focused on specific features. Recently, the social giant shut down its Poke and Camera apps to make a fresh start with Slingshot, its own Poke replacement and a rival to the popular Snapchat app. Rumors of the app started appearing as early as May after Financial Times reported that a Snapchat rival was in the works. And the accidental listing of the app on Apple App Store, Monday, confirmed it.
Facebook realized the error and quickly pulled it off the iTunes Store. The app never actually made it to the U.S. It was available in select markets including Russia, India, Australia and New Zealand, TechCrunch reported.
The company's spokesperson also issued a statement to Mashable, confirming the launch as an error and saying that a launch is scheduled "soon."
"Earlier today, we accidentally released a version of Slingshot, a new app we're working on," a Facebook spokesperson told Mashable. "With Slingshot, you'll be able to share everyday moments with lots of people at once. It'll be ready soon and we're excited for you to try it out."
According to the app's description, Slingshot allows users to add captions and drawings to the image before sending. The core functionality of the app is to allow friends to share photos and videos that disappear once the user swipes them away. But, unlike Snapchat, users must send a reply message in order to unlock and view the photo or video.
Though it seems Facebook has completed its work with the new Slingshot app, the company refrained from giving any specific release date for the app on both Android and iOS mobile stores. But its brief iOS debut could only mean the social networking giant is waiting for the right launch date.
