'Snapchat' 2014 Update Features: Video Call and Instant Messaging Services Added [See Video Here]

Snapchat users everywhere are incredibly happy as the popular app has unveiled one of its largest update yet. On Thursday, the popular video sharing application added two new features, voice call and instant messaging service.

The Snapchat application has announced the inclusion of its own messaging service that is compatible for both android and iOS. Once users leave the conversation, the messages disappear. Aside from this, users will also be able to make instant video calls.

According to the official announcement of Snapchat through a blog post, the app has addressed the lack of a virtual "presence" in conversations through the new features.

"There's nothing like knowing you have the full attention of your friend while you're chatting. We could not be more thrilled to announce Chat," reads the announcement.

Yahoo! quoted Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat and one of the company's founders during an interview in New York, saying, "The goal has always been to move beyond messaging. We're trying to take the traditional text conversation and make it better."

Snapchat has always been about the quick, simple and easy and the added features don't navigate away from that. By swiping right on a friend's name in the Snapchat inbox, users will enter a new chat screen that allows chat on a regular messaging interface.

Additionally, those who install the update will have a new bottom screen. A blue color is an indicator that a friend is looking at a user's message. Users can initiate a call by hitting the button. If a buddy also hits the button, users will see both ends of the camera simultaneously.

"We're trying to get rid of these weird boxes that we put media into and get to the essence of conversation - that we're both here," The Verge quotes the 23-year-old CEO. "The essence of conversation is not which media format we choose to talk to each other with, so we don't differentiate between snaps and chats. It's just someone wanting to talk to you."

Snapchat has been gaining popularity; Comscore, a moble and web analytics firm has estimated that the application has already attracted over 20 million users from a mere 4.5 million last year, writes Yahoo!

Want to know more? View the video below to see how the features work: