Stanford University students Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown set out to create a different kind of social media. They envisioned a social media platform that was mobile-first, emphasizing the day to day experiences of users rather than large events in their lives. By designing the app as a messaging-first platform where relatively little information was visible on user’s profiles, they kept the app streamlined and more personal than platforms like Instagram. Over time, the incorporation of augmented reality content has helped differentiate the app and drive the capabilities of the smartphone forward. The app actually enhances the capabilities of the smartphone rather than simply relying on them. it is ultimately these design choices that have popularized the app and made Snapchat the successful company it is today.