Lapse is a British

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social me ...

platform and photo-sharing app. Co-founded by Dan and Ben Silvertown in 2021, the app offers users the ability to take and share images, as well as interact with other users' posts through comments and reactions. It also lets users form groups to collaborate to produce a digital photo collection. It gained popularity with its launch in 2021 and later in 2023 when it was re-released as invitation-only. Similar to BeReal and Dispo, a user's photo is “processed” in a “

dark room A darkroom is used to process photographic film, to make prints and to carry out other associated tasks. It is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of the light-sensitive photographic materials, including film and ph ...

” for a few hours and cannot be edited in any form, producing a grainy image style resembling that of

analog photography Analog photography, also known as film photography, is a catch-all term for photography that uses chemical processes to capture an image, typically on paper, film or a hard plate. These analog processes were the only methods available to photo ...

. Branding itself as "for Friends not Followers" on

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ances ...

App Store An App Store (or app marketplace) is a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context. Apps provide a specific set of functions which, by definition, do not include the running of the co ...

, it has a focus on being "authentic" on social media.

History

2021 launch

Lapse was originally launched in 2021 to mimic the style of a

point-and-shoot camera A point-and-shoot camera, also known as a compact camera and sometimes abbreviated to P&S, is a still camera designed primarily for simple operation. Most use focus free lenses or autofocus for focusing, automatic systems for setting the exposure ...

, but refocused as a " photo dump" journal like the mobile app

VSCO VSCO (), formerly known as VSCO Cam, is a photography mobile app for iOS and Android devices. The app was created by Joel Flory and Greg Lutze. The VSCO app allows users to capture photos in the app and edit them, using preset filters and editin ...

. After a pre-seed funding round of $1.4 million, the app was launched on the

in September 2021 and attracted 10,000

beta test A software release life cycle is the sum of the stages of development and maturity for a piece of computer software ranging from its initial development to its eventual release, and including updated versions of the released version to help impro ...

users, along with a 150,000 member waiting list. In December 2021, the company raised $11 million in a seed round of funding.

2023 re-release

The app was re-released in June 2023. The release controversially required new users to invite five new users before attaining posting permissions, described by ''

TechCrunch TechCrunch is an American online newspaper focusing on high tech and startup companies. It was founded in June 2005 by Archimedes Ventures, led by partners Michael Arrington and Keith Teare. In 2010, AOL acquired the company for approximat ...

'' reporter Sarah Perez as "forcing you to invite your friends." This helped the app gain users and widespread popularity beginning September 2023. According to Appfigures, Lapse peaked at 218,000 downloads in a day in October and briefly became the most downloaded app on the U.S. App Store, and maintained in the top 5 daily. By late November, daily downloads dropped to 44,738. On 27 February 2024, Lapse raised $30 million in funds from investors led by Greylock Partners and DST Global Partners. According to Lapse's statement, the funding was being planned to hire employees in product development, engineering, and design.

References

{{Reflist Computer-related introductions in 2021 Image-sharing websites Internet properties established in 2021 Mobile applications Mobile social software Social networking services Social media companies