The goal is to give users the freedom to switch between their phones and computers while continuing their conversations on the platform. However, the new desktop option may also help Snapchat face a surprising competitor: Zoom.
While Snapchat is known for allowing users to send disappearing chats and images called snaps, video calls have become a popular feature of the app, according to the company. Snapchat stated that its app hosts over 100 million video calls each month, with up to 15 participants per call. Now, it hopes this service will become easier and more enjoyable to use when people join these calls from a desktop computer. The idea is similar to video call services like Zoom, which gained significant popularity during the pandemic, but with some unique selling points from Snapchat. According to the company, users will be able to start calls more quickly and easily because they are already connected to friends and can see if others are online. Snapchat's signature photo lenses—those that can make users look like they have dog ears, freckles, or other features—will soon be available for video calls on the web version.
Like the app, the web version of Snapchat opens directly on the camera to encourage users to send photos to friends. In the sidebar, users will see a list of their recent chats with friends, where they can open snaps or start a conversation. The web version will not include all features of the mobile app, such as the "Snap Map," where users can follow their friends or the discovery section—at least to start, according to the company.
“As many members of our community spend more time online, whether for remote learning, work, streaming, or just browsing, we’ve seen a significant opportunity to enable our community to stay connected more easily throughout the day,” a spokesperson for Snap, the parent company of the app, said in a statement. To protect user security and privacy, Snapchat for web prevents users from taking screenshots of conversations or snaps (the app notifies users if someone captures a screenshot of the chat or photo). The company also created a “privacy screen” to hide the Snapchat window if users click elsewhere.
Last month, Snap introduced a new paid subscription service called Snapchat + to potentially increase revenue. The web version may serve as a draw for the new $3.99 monthly subscription option. At launch, the web version of Snapchat will be available to all users in Australia and New Zealand, and Snapchat + users in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The service will soon roll out to Snapchat + followers in France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
