A new app called Lapse is trying to bring disposable cameras to your phone screens.
Long before smartphones made good angles and follower count an everyday concern, people simply snapped photos, tucked their cameras away and just kept living. Once the photos were developed, they experienced the delight of seeing photos that supplement memories.
Lapse is trying to duplicate that thrill, and it seems to be working.
The app is currently leading the Apple App Store’s Top Free Photo and Video Apps chart, having pushed ahead and past App Store darlings like Instagram and even YouTube. Already, it boasts a 4.8-star rating from nearly 45 thousand users.
Read on to learn about Lapse, the app that wants to bring back "photos before smartphones," including where to sign up and how it works.
What is the Lapse app?
Lapses's website compares the app to a disposable camera. Users have a "roll" of 36 shots to take daily.
Once a roll is done, users must wait anywhere between one and three hours for their images to “develop.”
When the photos develop, you can "right swipe" them into a journal or sort them into albums available for friends to view.
How can I use the app?
Previously, the app had been invitation-only. Now, anyone can download the app — but everyone has to bring friends along.
As of the timing of this publication, users are required to pass a download link to five contacts and then install a widget on their lock screen.
Following that process, users can start taking photos. Users cannot “review, edit, or curate in ways that other platforms encourage,” a Medium post from the founders reads. The same Medium post confirms the photos are “developed” in-app through a “film processing engine,” giving Lapse photos a specific look.
Can I post existing photos on the app?
Lapse users won’t be able to upload or share existing photos, except during the creation of their profile.
Is Lapse available on Android?
At this time, Lapse is not available on the Google Play store.
Do you have followers on Lapse?
No, Lapse does not use the “follower” format of social media apps. Instead, Lapse connects its users from friend to friend and allows them to start group chats.
Once photos have “developed,” everyone in the group can see what they captured and comment and send reactions in the chat.
Lapse's founders state their intentions
Brothers Dan and Ben Silvertown co-founded Lapse in 2021 but launched the latest version in June 2023.
In an email statement to TODAY.com, co-founder Dan Silvertown explained why the app angles to ground its users in the moment.
“We designed Lapse as a camera to encourage living in the moment and sharing memories pressure-free,” his statement reads. “We’ve seen a rapid rise in popularity due to the fact that young people are craving a platform that’s focused on sharing moments with friends, not on influencers or celebrities. Millions of memories are shared on the app every day, and we have lots more exciting things to come very soon.”
