Snap launches paid version of Snapchat app

FILE PHOTO: A woman stands in front of the logo of Snap Inc on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, NY, U.S. March 2, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo

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(Reuters) -Snap Inc on Wednesday launched a paid version of the Snapchat app in the U.S., priced at $3.99 a month, and a few other markets, in a major step away from a revenue model dependent mostly on advertising.