The goal is to give users the freedom to switch between their phones and computers while continuing their conversations on the platform. But the new desktop option could also help Snapchat ( SNAP ) take on a surprising rival: Zoom.
Although Snapchat is known for allowing users to send disappearing chats and photos called snaps, video calling has 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 the hope is that this service will become easier and more enjoyable to use when people join these calls from a desktop.
The idea is similar to video calling services like Zoom ( ZM ) that exploded in popularity during the pandemic, but with some advantages unique to Snapchat. Users will be able to initiate calls more quickly and easily because they are already connected to friends and can see when others are online, according to the company. Snapchat’s signature photo lenses — the ones that can make users look like dog ears, freckles or other features — will also soon be available for video calls on the web version.
Like 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 recent conversations with friends, where they can open photos or start a chat. 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 discovery section — at least to begin with, according to the company.
“With so many people in our community spending more time online, whether it’s remote learning or work, streaming or just browsing, we saw a huge opportunity to make it easier for our community to stay connected throughout the day,” a Snap spokesperson, the app’s parent company said in a statement.
To protect user safety and privacy, Snapchat for web prohibits users from taking screenshots of chats or photos (the app alerts users if someone takes screenshots of their chat or photo). The company also created a “privacy screen” to hide the Snapchat window if users click.
The launch comes as Snap, Snapchat’s parent company, was hammered on Wall Street after it reported a bigger-than-expected loss in its latest earnings report and later warned investors that it had cut its upcoming quarterly forecast due to worsening economy. Shares of Snap, which is due to report second-quarter earnings later this week, have tumbled 70% since the start of this year. Last month, Snap introduced a new paid subscription service called Snapchat+ with the potential to increase its revenue. The web version may appeal to the new $3.99 per month subscription option. 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 United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The service will soon roll out to Snapchat+ subscribers in France, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
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