Snap Inc., the company behind the popular Snapchat app, unveiled its Pixy selfie drone in April 2022. The small, lightweight drone was designed to follow users and take photos and videos from the air for sharing on Snapchat.
The Pixy seemed like an exciting new product from Snap, expanding the company’s offerings beyond just software. However, there are now signs that Snap may have already stopped active development on the Pixy drone less than a year after its initial launch.
What is the Snapchat Pixy?
The Snapchat Pixy is a small drone weighing just 101 grams and designed to fit in the palm of your hand. The drone has a 12 MP camera on the bottom and uses four propellers to take flight. It’s intended to float in the air near you and capture photos and videos from perspectives and angles you can’t get just holding your phone.
Some key features of the Snapchat Pixy:
- Flight time of 5-8 flights per charge
- 12 MP photos and 2.7K videos
- Four preset flight paths: Helix, Orbit, Reveal, and Jump
- No controller needed, just launch from hand and use Snapchat to control
- Designed to land in your hand when battery runs low
- Footage saved directly to Snapchat Memories
- Priced at $230
The Pixy was intended to open up new creative options for Snapchat users. The drone could capture photos and videos from all sorts of inventive angles and perspectives. And having the footage save right to Snapchat Memories made it easy to edit and share your Pixy creations.
Snap’s Motivations Behind the Pixy
So why did Snap decide to create and release the Pixy drone? There were likely a few key motivations behind the move:
- Differentiate from competitors: Snap was looking for ways to differentiate itself from competitors like TikTok and Instagram. A connected drone product was a unique offering not matched by other social apps.
- Inspire creative content: Snap has always focused on being a camera and creativity-first app. The drone opened up new angles and perspectives to inspire users to make interesting Snaps.
- Generate revenue: At $230 per unit, the Pixy offered potential for valuable new revenue outside Snap’s advertising business.
- Synergy with software: The Pixy tied tightly into Snapchat, allowing the company to build an ecosystem combining hardware and software.
Overall, the drone allowed Snap to stand out while also driving new engagement and creativity among its users – two key factors in Snap’s long-term growth.
Launch and Initial Reception of the Pixy
Snap first announced the Pixy drone in April 2022, opening up sales in the United States and France. The company called it “a pocket-sized, free-flying sidekick for adventures big and small.”
The launch focused on the Pixy’s ease of use and creativity. Snap promoted the four preset flight paths and how users could simply launch the drone from their hand to capture stylish photos and videos. Initial supplies of the Pixy sold out quickly, suggesting strong demand.
Early reviews of the drone were fairly positive. Tech review sites like CNET, Engadget, The Verge and Wired praised the Pixy’s lightweight, simple design and quality footage while noting some limitations:
- Super portable and fits in your hand
- Easy to launch and fly without a controller
- Produces smooth, high quality photos and videos
- Footage integrates seamlessly into Snapchat
- Preset flight paths limit some creativity
- Can’t be flown outside or in windy conditions
- Battery life allows only 5-8 flights per charge
Overall the Pixy got solid marks for being fun and accessible while delivering good social media content. The drone’s limitations likely positioned it as more of a toy than full-featured drone, but initial sales and user feedback seemed largely positive.
Signs Snap Ended Active Development
Despite the initial buzz and promising reception, there are mounting signs Snap halted active development on the Pixy drone less than a year from launch:
- The Pixy has been out of stock or unavailable for months after selling out initial supplies
- No new flight modes, capabilities, or Pixy versions have been added
- Firmware updates addressing issues or adding features have been nonexistent
- No marketing or promotional efforts around the Pixy after launch period
- Snap’s management has ignored questions about Pixy in recent earnings calls
- Job listings related to Snap’s hardware division have dried up
Collectively, these clues point to Snap quietly ending meaningful work on improving the Pixy or releasing it more widely. The product seems to have fizzled out shortly after going on sale, likely due to underwhelming performance or internal strategic shifts at Snap.
Why Snap May Have Halted Pixy Development
Snap has not officially confirmed that Pixy development has stopped or that the product has been discontinued. But if the company did abandon the Pixy soon after launch, there are several plausible reasons why:
- Lower than expected sales: Pixy sales may have fizzled quickly after the initial launch hype, causing Snap to rethink the investment.
- Supply chain challenges: Global shortages may have made it difficult for Snap to source needed components and scale up production.
- High costs: With a $230 price tag but limited functionality, the Pixy may have been too costly for Snap to produce and sell profitably.
- Engineering resources: Snap may have decided to refocus its engineering talent on improving its core products vs. drones.
- Loss of interest: Snap’s leadership team may have simply lost interest in the Pixy and pivoted to other priorities out of the spotlight.
For a company focused on software and apps, diving into hardware like drones comes with major new challenges. If the Pixy wasn’t gaining traction, it made sense for Snap to cut its losses and double down on its strengths.
Pixy Drone FAQ
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Snap’s Pixy drone:
What does the Pixy drone do?
The Pixy is a small, lightweight drone designed to float in the air near you and take photos and videos that you can share on Snapchat. It has preset flight paths like orbiting you or revealing you from behind a wall.
How much does the Pixy cost?
The Pixy drone originally sold for $230 in the United States.
Can you still buy the Pixy?
No, the Pixy has been out of stock and unavailable for purchase for several months. It appears production and sales have ended.
How long does the Pixy battery last?
Snap says the Pixy battery lasts for 5-8 flights of about 30 seconds to 1 minute per flight. So total flight time is 5-8 minutes before recharging.
How does the Pixy connect to Snapchat?
The Pixy connects directly to your Snapchat app via Bluetooth. No separate controller needed. Just launch the drone from your hand and use Snapchat to operate it.
Can the Pixy be flown outdoors?
No, the Pixy drone is designed only for indoor use as wind or rain could damage it.
Does the Pixy have obstacle avoidance?
No, there is no obstacle avoidance technology on the Pixy drone. You have to be careful not to crash it.
Can the Pixy be controlled manually?
No, the Pixy only has the four pre-programmed flight paths. You can’t take full manual control of steering and height.
Conclusion
In the end, Snap appears to have given up on its Pixy drone ambitions and halted active development less than a year from launch. While the reasons can’t be confirmed, disappointing sales, high costs, and shifting priorities likely played a role. The Pixy seems destined to go down as a short-lived experiment rather than the start of a new drone line from Snap.
It’s a reminder that even large tech companies take risks on new products that sometimes just don’t pan out. And consumer drones like the Pixy face stiff competition from much lower cost options like the market leading DJI Mini series. Still, the Pixy produced some fun moments while it lasted – floating, flipping, and zipping through the air on preset paths as users captured creative Snaps.