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Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Is Talking on the Phone Dead for Gen Z? Not Quite
Fact checked by Sarah Scott I'll tell you how old I am without telling you how old I am: When I was a teenager, you had to call someone if you wanted to talk to them. We didn't yet have texting, voice notes, or video chats. Fast forward (muffled) years later, and my kids have any number of options when it comes to communicating with friends and family. Talking on the phone is usually last on many teens' list of preferred methods. As my 14-year-old told me, calling someone is 'awkward.' She's not alone: one study from Australia found awkward phone calls are one of the top three things 42% of Gen Z wants to avoid. Instead, my teen relies on video chats or voice notes to stay in (constant) touch. Traditional phone calls may not be the cool thing to do these days, but talking is actually on the rise, according to a new report from Snapchat, a social media platform the Pew Research Center found 60% of teens use. 'It's a misconception that the phone call is dead," says Ceci Mourkogiannis, VP of Product at Snap Inc. Teens are just changing what talking on the phone looks like—and there are benefits to that too. The Snapchat report, released in June 2025, says it's actually a myth that young people aren't talking on the phone. According to the data: Snapchatters, made up of Gen Z and Millennials, collectively talk for more than 1.7 billion minutes on average every day. That's 30% more than this time last year. Voice notes are a very popular way for young people to communicate. Snapchatters in the U.S. sent over 2.5 billion voice notes in the first three months of 2025 alone. That's over 650 million more voice notes than a year ago! It's important to note that, according to Snap, the data around talking includes both video and voice chats. Mourkogiannis explains meaningful connection happens when people communicate in the way that feels most natural to them—be that sending a Snap, recording a voice note, or hopping on the phone. 'We're thrilled to see our community is actually talking more than ever before,' she adds. Meanwhile, Alisha Simpson-Watt, LCSW, BCBA, LBA, the founder of Collaborative ABA Services, LLC, says she has noticed teens gravitating toward video chats and voice notes, and texting going by the wayside. 'For some, it is easier to communicate their thoughts and feelings by speaking,' Simpson-Watt explains. 'Also, voice memos add a layer of personalization to the message because it is like you're having a real-time conversation, except that you can answer when the time is more suitable.' Plus, video chats and voice notes can offer a stronger sense of connection helping to reduce feelings of loneliness which is on the rise, particularly among younger generations."Voice memos add a layer of personalization to the message because it is like you're having a real-time conversation, except that you can answer when the time is more suitable."Of course, communication is generally regarded as a positive thing. But do our kids stand to lose anything if they aren't engaging in good old-fashioned phone conversations? Simpson-Watt acknowledges that our modern world necessitates increasing reliance on technology, but points to the possibility that the lack of 'real' interaction may be feeding teens' social anxieties. 'Younger people tend to prefer to talk with people face-to-face on the phone rather than in person,' she says. Furthermore, Simpson-Watt has noticed that younger people can be more avoidant about making simple phone calls. 'For example, younger kids may be more hesitant to call and make their own doctor appointments, as it is more nerve-wracking since they don't personally know the person they are speaking to,' she elaborates. Teens excel at sending voice notes, setting up a video chat with multiple people, and ordering just about anything via app. But I can't be alone in wanting my adolescents to still be able to thrive offline in an authentic way, and without breaking into a cold sweat. According to Simpson-Watt, encouraging kids to incorporate phone and in-person conversations into their lives is key. 'Communicating with others, whether it is on the phone or in real life, is very important even with all the technology we have today, as communication allows us to bond and connect with others more personally,' she advises. Other benefits of communicating without the help of technology include: Sharpening listening skills Picking up social cues that may not come through via text or voice note Limiting screen time So, while video calls and voice memos are fun and trendy, encouraging our kids to engage in traditional calls and more in-person socializing as often as possible can go a long way. Read the original article on Parents
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Internet outages reported across Google Cloud, Spotify, more
An outage disrupted service for dozens of websites and apps on Thursday, June 12. Thousands of users reported issues or outages with products or services at Google, Spotify, Etsy, Snapchat, UPS and more, according to Downdetector, a platform that tracks digital outages. At least 13 Google Cloud services experienced outages shortly before 2 p.m. ET across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and more, a Google Cloud status page stated Thursday afternoon, June 12. 'We are experiencing service issues with multiple GCP products,' the status page reads. 'Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue.' Around 2:30 p.m., over 13,000 users reported issues with Google Cloud, Downdetector shows. "We are currently investigating a service disruption to some Google Cloud services," a Google spokesperson told USA TODAY. Snapchat's official X page acknowledged its outage writing "We're aware that some Snapchatters are having issues - hang tight, we're looking into it!" This is a developing story. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Which internet services are down? Outages at Google Cloud, Spotify, more
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Snapchat Adds New Creator Tools, Updated Analytics Elements
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Snapchat's rolling out some new ways to make more use of your Snap content, along with some additional analytics elements to help creators improve their in-app performance. First off, Snapchat's adding an option that will enable you to create videos from your Memories, essentially building a highlight reel clip of your favorite Snap moments. As you can see in this example sequence, you'll now be able to create a video from a selection of your Memories clips, with a dedicated soundtrack for your newly created video. You'll also be able to choose from creative templates for your compilation, providing another way to get more value from your previous updates. Which is also the focus of Snap's next update, with Snapchatters now also able to automatically save their public Stories directly to their profile, 'so that fans can catch up on and revisit their favorite creator content.' Which runs counter to the traditional ethos of Snap, in focusing on in-the-moment, disappearing updates, in order to enhance the immediacy and intimacy of in-app connection. But Snap's been moving away from this for some time, as an option at least, by providing more ways for creators to maximize the value of their updates, by keeping them available beyond the initial 24-hour period. The risk is that this moves Snap more into parity with other apps, diluting its differentiation. But from a creator perspective, it also makes sense that they would want to keep their best content around for longer to help build their profile and presence. It's an option, either way, so users don't have to do this, but I do think there is a risk in Snap gradually moving away from its ephemeral roots. Snapchat's also rolling out a new video editing UI, with a timeline-aligned format, which will make it easier to manage your video projects in the app. As you can see in this example, the updated video editor is more like the display in CapCut or Edits, with multiple tracks for your project, enabling more granular editing and customization. Finally, Snapchat's also officially announced its new analytics elements, providing more insight into content performance. As per Snap: 'We recently rolled out new insights across Stories and Spotlight, making it easier than ever for our global community of creators to optimize their content and continue to get rewarded for doing what they do best: being their authentic selves on Snapchat.' Snap's updates metrics include: – the number of viewers who watched a creator's public content for at least 12 days over the last month. Repeat viewership reflects real connection and interest. Creators can share this metric with brands to demonstrate audience loyalty. – a creator's most watched Spotlight posts and Public Stories by total views over the last 28 days. – a creator's total view time across Spotlight posts, Public Stories, and Profile Stories. – creators can see Content and Profile views based on the source of the view, including Discover For You, Following, Spotlight, Search, Chat, and Profile. – the average amount of time Snapchatters spend watching a creator's Spotlight posts. – the average percent of a creator's Spotlight posts that Snapchatters completed watching. Some handy insights, and some additional content options that could help creators get more out of the app. And with Snap looking to maximize its opportunities, it needs to enhance its appeal to creators where it can, though again, shifting away from disappearing content could risk leaving the app more generic, and less appealing in comparison. You can read more about Snap's latest updates here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Snapchat Shares New Trend Insights, and How Brands Can Tap Into Them
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Snapchat has published a new 'Snapchat Generation' report, which looks at how Snapchatters are engaging in the app, and what that means for brand connection and promotions. The 26-page report provides a range of data-backed notes on what works on Snap, and what doesn't, and how people are looking to connect, with each other and brands, in the app. As per Snap: 'At Snapchat, we don't just reach the next generation, we understand them. Our audience of over 900 million monthly active users is one of the world's most engaged, expressive, and influential communities. Made up of Gen Z and Millennials, the Snapchat Generation is where real relationships, self-expression, and cultural influence converge.' The report looks at a range of key trends, as identified via Snap usage data, which Snapchat says reflect the interests and behaviors of its audience. First off, Snap highlights 'lo-fi' as a key trend: 'Raw, unfiltered formats win attention. Use Organic Profiles to publish off-the-cuff content and embrace 'imperfect' AR for nostalgic, low-stakes fun.' Snap's made this point in several of its reports, that less-polished, more intimate content works better on Snap, which is all about facilitating connection, as opposed to 'other' social apps. Indeed, back in 2022, Snapchat published a report which showed that people feel free to 'express their authentic selves' in the app, because they're generally communicating with their closest friends and family in the app. That's also worth noting for all marketers as well, that the polished, edited, curated approach doesn't resonate as well with this audience. Snap also says that audio elements are helping users enhance their connection in the app, with Snapchatters in the US sending over 2.5 billion voice notes in Q1 of 2025. Snap also notes that its users are looking for real, in-the-moment connection, while self-expression is also more of a focus, with spontaneous, visual communication styles resonating with users. (Did you first read that as 880 billion cats?) Finally, Snapchat notes that its top creators 'show up like real Snapchatters' in the app: '[Creators] share who they are, how they feel, and what's on their mind, and that's why their content builds real connection with a community that supports them, engages with them, and feels more like friends than followers.' And they're active too. Snap says its most active Snap Stars post nearly 140 times per day on average, and it's that presence and openness which resonates. Snap advises that brands looking to establish creator connections should consider this element, and look to learn what their audience responds to, and who, in order to make a more informed choice on partnerships. There are also handy explainers in each section on how brands can put them into effect: These are some valuable notes, which could help you formulate a more effective Snap marketing approach, incorporating key engagement strategies and trends into your outreach. It can be a difficult platform to crack, but by taking the time to learn what works, there are opportunities to reach big, engaged audiences in the app. You can download Snap's latest 'Snapchat Generation' report (with email sign-up) here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Snapchat Launches Apple Watch App
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Snapchat's added a new way for users to stay in touch with conversations in the app, with a new Snapchat app for Apple Watch, which will be able to display messages, and enable simple response, from your device. As you can see in this example, as with regular DMs on Apple Watch, you'll now also be able to view and respond to Snapchat messages, ensuring that you're always connected. Well, as long as you're within a certain radius of your iPhone, at least. As explained by Snap: 'With the Snapchat app on Apple Watch, you can preview an incoming message and reply using the Keyboard, Scribble, Dictation, or send an emoji. Respond to let your friend know you're 'here' when you're meeting up at a restaurant. Out for a run? Glance down and send a quick reply without breaking stride.' How valuable that will be will depend on how much you rely on Snap for communications, and presumably there's some level of crossover between Snapchat users and Apple Watch owners. There are reportedly over 100 million Apple Watch users worldwide, and around 30 million Apple Watch in the U.S. alone, while Snapchat now has over 900 million monthly actives. I mean, matching up these figures, it doesn't seem like the new Apple Watch app will see a heap of usage, but it will provide another means for Snapchatters to ensure they stay across every conversation as it happens. Snap says that the launch of its Apple Watch app builds upon its commitment to making Snapchat available across all the devices you use, including wearables. 'Already we're seeing our community enjoy using Snapchat across surfaces including tablet and web […] Friends and family are some of the most important people in our lives, so keep the conversation going anytime, anywhere.' It might not be a game-changer, but it's another means to ensure Snapchat users remain attached to in-app discussions, while also providing another means to share to the app. You can download the Snapchat app for Apple Watch here. Recommended Reading Snapchat's Working on a New System That Would Provide a Valuation for Collectibles In-Stream
