Facebook's answer to Snapchat is Bolt

Social photo network Instagram, owned by Facebook, presented Bolt, a new application with which they want to compete with the Snapchat service.

With this application, users are enabled to send quick (and short-lived) messages that are "destroyed" after touching a photo on the device's screen. Instagram's move is seen as a response to apps like Snapchat, which have a smaller - but more active - user base.

For now, Bolt is only available in three countries, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa, and the company confirmed that testing and expansion to other regions is underway. But there is a problem - the Bolt service already exists, and its owners are not too happy with Instagram's move, regional portals report.

Bolt is a young company that started working last year on technology that would replace "voice" calls and text messages through regular mobile plans. After the rumors and the official unveiling of Instagram's service appeared, the young company sent an open letter of dissatisfaction and a request to change its name.

"We know it's a great name because we chose it last year when we started working on improving the mobile messaging and calling experience," the company said in an open letter. "We've worked hard on everything and building the Bolt brand and technologies to get where we are today. Please don't destroy that effort."

It is not known whether the Walt Disney company, which launched its Bolt into the world back in 2008, has objections to the name, to the delight of many who enjoyed the adventures of the white dog who embarked on a rescue mission. Track and field superstar Usain Bolt is currently busy at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - where he's not having the best time - but his reaction is expected.