Snap is dead. BeReal is knocking on its door. We all know that no one posts on Instagram anymore. Even VSCO, which had a semi-recent resurgence thanks to a popular meme, has its iPhone photographer congregants looking to convert. A lasting trend of film-like flicks spawned many filter apps, like Huji and the formerly David Dobrik-helmed Dispo, now fuzzy memories from a simpler time.
With the film-adjacent photo trend persisting through this era of digital death, where’s its next home?
Enter Lapse.
What is Lapse?
If BeReal and Huji had a baby, they would make Lapse. This baby would also be quite the wunderkind, sitting pretty at #1 on the App Store in its first month of life on Earth.
The photo journal’s in-the-moment ethos encourages users to use their pocket computers as disposable cameras, no re-dos allowed. Once snapped, the photos “develop” and are revealed at random throughout the day.
Throughout the week, your community’s photos appear on the Friends feed. A For You competitor also appears as Featured 🫶, a curated feed of all user’s content.
Yes, the hand heart is really there. Lapse went to the Eras Tour!
In addition to sharing photos, combine your select pics into a Journal. This is like an album on Facebook (for the Olds reading this) or a photo dump on Instagram (for the Youths).
Like Instagram archive and BeReal calendar but better, Lapse’s interface also includes a feature that automatically creates a monthly recap. Way less annoying than seeing “Turn your stories into a reel!” 1000x a day, IMO.
How Can I Find My Friends on Lapse?
To start using Lapse, you need to invite 5 people via text.
Each text comes pre-filled with phrases like “love this”, “need this”, “so cool” to do the oh-so-draining task of typing a few words to avoid the dreaded receipt of a no-context link for you! These 5 people don’t need to sign up for you to get started, since it’ll probably get sandwiched between the groupchat (Currently popping off with Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce live updates) and yet another “How’s the job search going?” text from Mom.
Now you’re ready to create a profile.
What Can I Add To My Profile?
All the basics of social media are included on Lapse profiles, with a little sprinkle of something extra. On your profile, you can create custom user/display names (“ratbastard2002”, “georgehwbushofficial”, etc.) and pen unique bios (“new york”, “19”, etc.). Choose any profile photo you’d like, which can then be plastered with your choice of 5 emojis.
Share your star sign to ward off evil or link your school to connect with fellow students. Geminis and Buckeyes beware: Your friend requests may decrease after applying this feature.
Please Rise for Your Daily Vibe Check
Each day you are gifted a total of 2 Vibes by the powers that be. A virtual carrier pigeon (a.k.a. years of painstaking coding work) blasts one (1) unit of good energy over to your friends on the app. That’s it.
If Texting Five Whole People Didn’t Work: Finding Friends, Part 2
Another rule to begin: giving the app permission to view your contacts and adding 8 people as friends. If you’re like me, your choices are— in addition to a laundry list of people you barely know— as follows: your “you kids keep me young” aunt, your high school lab partner, and your barely-has-a-cell-phone boyfriend. Go with the boyfriend. You’ll thank me later.
Have You Or A Loved One Been Texted a Lapse Signup Link?
You May Be Entitled to Compensation*
*A reply to your comment telling me if you have received one
Lapse’s App Store description reads: “Lapse is for Friends not Followers™”.
Finding friends on Lapse is pretty simple. It sticks to the sharing-first principle that the app is based on… and only mildly pisses off those you text in order to do so.
How Long Will Lapse Last?
It remains to be seen if Lapse—like its forefathers— will fizzle out.
Will its time as a trend lapse as fast as it began?
🍅🍅🍅
Okay. Sorry. I take that one back.
To wrap things up…
Should I Get Lapse?
Like many Lapse bios are destined to say, we’re “here for a good time not a long time”.
It’s fun, and it’s simple. Snap, wait, share. Why not give it a try?
