Snapchat, a popular messaging app hat lets users control how long their friends can view their messages , has updated its iOS app with a number of interesting new features.

With the new update, users can now use a variety of filters that can be used with photos. The new "smart filters" allow a variety of information to be overlaid on images that users take. Additionally, a number of visual filters have been added

The new features are easy to use. To enable the filters, simple access Snapchat's Settings menu and head over to Additional Services. Then tap on Manage and tap on any of the six new features to activate them. Once the filters have been activated, users can simply take a photo and swipe the screen left or right to preview each filter. Examples of these smart filters include temperature, time and speed. Once the temperature smart filter is selected, an overlay of the current temperature in the user's immediate area will be displayed on the photo. The same goes for the current time. The speed smart filter is a bit of an oddball since it can display the speed at which the user (and his or her smartphone) is moving. However, Snapchat warns users not to use the app while operating a moving vehicle.

Snapchat has also introduced "Replay," one of the more noteworthy additions to the update. Many users have been complaining about the fact that they could only check out their snaps once. Afterwards, the snaps are permanently deleted. The new Replay function now gives users a second chance. The Replay feature allows users to re-watch a snap on Snapchat a second time. However, the feature can only be used once per day. Replay is useful in situations when people want to check out a snap again in case they missed something the first time around. "You only get one a day, so you've got to use it where it counts," says Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel.

"We just decided as a holiday present to the Snapchat community that we would put out a couple things we thought were fun," Spiegel told The Verge.