Facebook's Slingshot app arrives to take aim at Snapchat

Update: Well, that didn't take very long. Facebook has officially unveiled Slingshot, and it's setting its sights squarely at Snapchat.

"Photos and 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- a la Snapchat - to other users, with the option to deface said media with text and drawing.

Sling like you're winning

Perhaps the only real difference is that Slingshot also includes a "react" button that allows users to return an instant snapshot reaction to the latest picture of your friend's lunch.

The app will be completely free when it arrives. The source does say, however, that Facebook may hold back the rollout if it comes up against any last-minute snags.

We dropped Facebook a line but it refused to comment on the story.

• While you're waiting for that, check out our 20 best World Cup apps