Snapchat gets Mini featuring free meditation from Headspace
Enjoy some free mindfulness with Snap’s latest feature
There has been a lot of hype surrounding Snapchat’s new Mini applications. The first of them rolled out on Monday. It features tools from the meditation app Headspace. Snap says that it is part of an initiative to “help support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of Snapchatters.”
Minis, as the name suggests, are compact apps made by third-party developers that work inside of the Snapchat app. In a sense, they’re like Apple’s new App Clips. The Headspace Mini is one of four launching this week.
Easy Access
Snapchat is no stranger to introducing new features to its app. Users know that things like filters, games, and stories are updated all the time. The flexibility fits Snap’s audience, one of the youngest on social media. It currently reaches more than 90 percent of 13- to 34-year-olds.
To access the Headspace Mini app in Snapchat, users can simply search for it in the discover bar. Those who want to try meditation with a friend can do so by tapping the rocket icon in Chat.
A Headspace spokesperson discussed the positioning of the new Mini, saying, “By putting these useful resources front and center where friends already meet and share, we believe Snapchat can play a unique role in empowering friends to help each other through difficult times.”
Snapchat says that its own research suggests users have high feelings of anxiety, depression, stress, and other mental health challenges. The research also found that many users first turn to friends to deal with feelings of stress.
It says, “We hope this new feature will provide a safe space for friends to practice mindfulness, and be able to send encouraging messages to positively boost friends in need.”
The new Headspace Mini features six unique meditation sessions. Each one is three to four minutes long and focuses on a specific theme. The sessions include: “Just Breathe,” “Get Out of a Funk,” “Kick the Panic,” “Be Nice to You,” “Pressure to Succeed,” and “Me Time.”
Users can take solace in the calm voices and gentle guidance as they embark on a quick mindfulness session. Having the feature inside an app that most people already use every day is a convenient reminder to regularly check in on your mental health.
Going Mini
The Headspace Mini is certainly a unique, helpful tool for many users. Not all Minis will be so serious, however.
For instance, Prediction Master “serves timely questions on everything from the stock market to sneaker drops, so Snapchatters can see which of their friends is the true psychic.”
It does appear that Minis, for the most part, focus more on functionality than some of Snap’s other integrations. The Flashcards Mini from Tembo lets users create study aids. Not that studying and Snapchat make the best combination. Meanwhile, Let’s Do It helps groups make decisions together.
It will be worth watching how Minis are received by users as they are added to Snapchat this week. They could become a staple for the social media giant.
Originally published at https://www.theburnin.com on July 20, 2020.
