It's not just kids. Adults use Snapchat -- and quite frequently at that. June 25, 2013 11:54 AM PDT (Credit: Snapchat) Before you write off ephemeral photo-sharing app Snapchat as merely a toy for teens and tweens, consider this: The 2-year-old service counts more than 8 million U.S. users who are 18 or older, according to data provided to CNET by Nielsen. Snapchat, fresh off adding $60 million in funding, is the insanely buzzy iOS and Android application for sending photos and videos to friends that vanish after a few seconds. The smartphone service for exchanging fleeting moments is all the rage with today's youngsters, and it's developed a reputation as a sanctuary for underage sexting. What actually happens when "snaps" are exchanged remains a mystery -- at least for the time being -- but new data shared with CNET suggest the application's appeal extends beyond just boys and girls sharing pics they don't want their parents to see. Related posts Snapchat grabs $60M after worth valued at $800M Snapchat reportedly raising $100M Send self-destructing messages from your work computer Snapchat had more more than 8 million unique users of its smartphone application in May 2013, according to Nielsen, which measures smartphone usage with a panel of Android and iPhone users over the age of 18 and in the U.S. Nielsen's panel includes roughly 5,000 people, representative of the adult U.S. smartphone population, who run the company's software on their iPhone and Android devices for tracking purposes. Snapchat's adult audience seems absolutely enamored with the application. On average, these Snapchat users accessed the app 34 times in May, Nielsen found. Adults are likely still in the minority. Snapchat does not share registered user numbers or break out the demographics of its users. The company prefers to focus on active engagement instead, a spokesperson told CNET. On that note, Snapchat now sees 200 million snaps exchanged per day, up from 60 million in February. If you consider a snap analogous to a photo upload, then the astronomical number catapults the young app into the same league as Facebook, which sees 350 million photo uploads per day. Perhaps that explains why investors had no qualms about valuing the revenue-less company at $800 million: They don't want miss out on the next Facebook. Apparently, neither do we older folks.
It's not just kids. Adults use Snapchat -- and quite frequently at that.
Before you write off ephemeral photo-sharing app Snapchat as merely a toy for teens and tweens, consider this: The 2-year-old service counts more than 8 million U.S. users who are 18 or older, according to data provided to CNET by Nielsen.
Snapchat, fresh off adding $60 million in funding, is the insanely buzzy iOS and Android application for sending photos and videos to friends that vanish after a few seconds. The smartphone service for exchanging fleeting moments is all the rage with today's youngsters, and it's developed a reputation as a sanctuary for underage sexting.
What actually happens when "snaps" are exchanged remains a mystery -- at least for the time being -- but new data shared with CNET suggest the application's appeal extends beyond just boys and girls sharing pics they don't want their parents to see.
Related posts
- Snapchat grabs $60M after worth valued at $800M
- Snapchat reportedly raising $100M
- Send self-destructing messages from your work computer
Snapchat had more more than 8 million unique users of its smartphone application in May 2013, according to Nielsen, which measures smartphone usage with a panel of Android and iPhone users over the age of 18 and in the U.S. Nielsen's panel includes roughly 5,000 people, representative of the adult U.S. smartphone population, who run the company's software on their iPhone and Android devices for tracking purposes.
Snapchat's adult audience seems absolutely enamored with the application. On average, these Snapchat users accessed the app 34 times in May, Nielsen found.
Adults are likely still in the minority. Snapchat does not share registered user numbers or break out the demographics of its users. The company prefers to focus on active engagement instead, a spokesperson told CNET.
On that note, Snapchat now sees 200 million snaps exchanged per day, up from 60 million in February. If you consider a snap analogous to a photo upload, then the astronomical number catapults the young app into the same league as Facebook, which sees 350 million photo uploads per day. Perhaps that explains why investors had no qualms about valuing the revenue-less company at $800 million: They don't want miss out on the next Facebook. Apparently, neither do we older folks.
