The goal is to give users the freedom to switch between their phones and their PC, all while following their conversations on the platform. But the new desktop option can also help
snap chat (Explode, Explode) Take on a surprising competitor: Zoom.
While Snapchat is known for allowing users to send hidden chats and photos, called snaps, video calls have become a popular feature of the app, according to the company. Snapchat said its app hosts more than 100 million video calls each month with up to 15 participants each. Now, consider that service It’ll be easier and more fun to use when people join those calls from your desktop.
The idea is similar to video calling services like
Zoom (ZM), which has gone viral during the pandemic, but with some selling points that are unique to Snapchat. Users will be able to initiate calls more quickly and easily because they are already connected to friends and can see if others are online, according to the company.
snapchat signature photo
lenses – Those that can make users appear like they have dog ears, freckles or other features – Soon also available for video calling on the web version.
As with the app, the web version of Snapchat opens directly to the camera to encourage users to send photos to friends. In the sidebar, users will see a list of their friends’ recent chats, where they can open Snaps or start a conversation. The web version won’t include all of the mobile app’s features, such as a “Snap Map” where users can track their friends or the Discover section — at least to get started, according to the company.
“As many in our community spend more time online, whether it’s for remote learning, work, live streaming or just casual browsing – we saw a huge opportunity to make it easier for our community to stay connected all day long,” a spokesperson for Snap, the app’s parent company, said. , in a statement.
To protect users’ safety and privacy, Snapchat for the web prevents users from taking screenshots of chats or screenshots (the app alerts users if someone has taken screenshots of a chat or photo). The company also created a “privacy screen” to hide the Snapchat window if users click away.
The launch comes as Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, took a beating on Wall Street after posting a larger-than-expected loss in its latest earnings report and beyond.
Investors Warning It lowered its next quarterly forecast due to the deteriorating economy.
Shares of Snap, which is due to report second-quarter earnings later this week, have fallen 70% since the beginning of this year.
Last month, Snap
inserted A new paid subscription service called Snapchat + with the potential to increase its revenue.
The web version may be a draw for the new, $3.99 per month
Subscription Selection. At launch, the web-based version of Snapchat will be available to all users in Australia and New Zealand and to Snapchat+ users in the US, UK and Canada. The service will be rolled out soon
Snapchat + subscribers in France, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
