There are a lot of social media apps to choose from nowadays, making the selection of what apps you can scroll though difficult - not to mention time-consuming.
Some apps that are popular at the moment include the likes of Instagram and TikTok - both of which you can upload stories to.
If you are unaware, stories on these apps usually involve someone uploading a video or a photo which will stay on their account for 24 hours. This is different to uploading it to your feed which will stay up permanently, or until you delete it.
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But another app to have landed on the scene to do something similar to stories is an app called BeReal.
But what is it? Here's everything you need to know.
What is BeReal and why is it so popular?
The idea behind this is similar to uploading stories where someone can upload what they're doing that day such as travelling on a plane, eating at a café or going to a concert.
But rather than uploading when you want to, BeReal will decided for you. Once you get the notification, you will have two minutes to snap a picture of what you're doing at that exact time and upload the story for your friends to see.
If you do not upload within the allocated two minute time slot, you can still upload however it will be marked as 'posted late'. There's no way to edit the photo before uploading such as filters or text. In other words, it forces you to 'be real', hence its name.
In the app description it reads: "BeReal is the first uncontrollable social media to share an authentic moments in Photo. Everyday at a random time, everyone has to capture a photo in two minutes. Capture and post in time to discover what your Friends are up to."
The app is unique as it not only takes a picture from one camera but both allowing people to see what's in front and behind you. This is part of the reason it has soared in popularity in recent times with many sharing some pretty hilarious - and some inappropriate - results.
Friends are able to comment and react to what you post. And in addition to this, they can also see on maps where you have taken the photo as well as a 'discover' section where you can see photos from around the world.
They add: "It's life, Real life, and this life is without filters. #nofilter #beauthentic. It's your chance to show your friends who you really are, for once. It's pronounced “BiRil”, not bereale, or Bèreol, it’s like B-Real from Cypress Hill. BeReal is written well BeReal all attached, not be real detached."
When was BeReal created and how much does it cost?
BeReal was created back in 2019 however it has only just started to gain a lot of popularity in recent months with it currently being a trending topic on Twitter.
The app was created, and is owned, by former GoPro employee and French entrepreneur Alexis Barreyat as well as co-founded Kévin Perreau. Their aim has been to move away from the 'perfectly edited' photos on Instagram and show people reality through a different lens.
According to the Google Play store, it has has over one million views. It is free on both the Google app store as well as the Apple store. In April 2022 the app announced they had nearly three million daily active users.
Where can I download BeReal?
You can download the app on the Google Play Store here or the Apple store here. The app is free.
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