“You’ve been invited to Lapse!”

Across the United States, teenagers have been getting similar texts from their friends, advertising “Lapse,” a new social media app that’s seemingly come out of nowhere and topped the Apple app charts in less than two years. But what exactly is this new app? And why has it gotten so popular so quickly?

Lapse is self-described as being a “camera [app] for living in the moment and a private photo journal for friends, not followers,” which was founded by brothers Dan and Ben Silvertown in 2021. In practice, Lapse works similarly to a disposable camera, allowing users to quickly snap photos that are given a retro-esque filter. To go with this vintage aesthetic, Lapse users are only allowed to take 36 photos per day, which then need a 24 hour waiting period to “develop.” Pictures can then be added into a journal or sorted into an album available for friends to view after their development period.

Lapse prides itself on making users “live in the moment,” with founder Ben Silvertown saying, “Lapse doesn’t let you review, edit, or curate in ways that other platforms encourage. The results are spontaneous and authentic moments shared privately between friends, not followers.” One user, Lucy Premro, said, “Lapse is a fun way for people to share photos with their friends without caring about followers, and it offers a unique interface.”

However, Lapse has also faced criticism for its unique marketing tactics, with the app advertising itself as “invite-only.” New users are required to invite 5 new friends each before being able to use the app themselves, turning them into vectors to grow Lapse’s popularity. And with over 1.2 million users as of October 29, 2023, this tactic has clearly succeeded in spite of accusations of predatory marketing.

In essence, Lapse combines features from several social media platforms, including SnapChat, Dispo, and BeReal, along with a healthy dash of a vintage aesthetic. Despite its marketing criticisms, Lapse’s unique features have continued drawing attention to the app and the downloads of new users everyday. Only time will tell whether Lapse becomes a social media staple or simply dies out as a microtrend.