Snapchat is now available for the first time on desktop browsers as an add-on for Snapchat+ subscribers.
Launched in June, Snaphchat+ is a paid offering that allows people to get more out of the app, such as early access to experimental features.
Snapchat for the web is among the first of those experiments and is arguably the most interesting offering yet.
What is Snapchat for the web?
Web-based Snapchat brings many of the key features of a mobile app with a desktop user interface.
Users can use the webcam and microphone to participate in video chats on their computer instead of holding the phone.
Messaging is also available, giving people another way to stay in touch with their Snapchat connections.
The Lenses aren’t available yet, but Snapchat says it will add them soon.
What’s missing from Snapchat for the web is the ability to create and upload content to your main story. It is limited to messaging only.
How do I use Snapchat for the web?
To use Snapchat for the web, you must first sign up for Snapchat+, which is available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Monthly fees vary by country, though a seven-day free trial is offered for first-time subscribers.
Once you sign up, you can access Snapchat for the web on your desktop Chrome browser by visiting Snapchat web.snapchat.com and login with your account.
Why bring Snapchat to desktop?
Snapchat is the longest running complex among social media apps for Not You have a desktop counterpart.
The desktop experience is lacking for casual users, which is unusual when mobile-focused apps like Instagram and TikTok have desktop versions.
While some users may express their demand to use Snapchat on desktop, the reason it’s being rolled out now is most likely due to revenue.
Snapchat is under severe pressure to increase revenue. After informing shareholders, that Snap is not meeting its revenue targets, the company’s share price saw a 43% drop in May.
Since then, we’ve seen the launch of Snapchat+, and we’ll definitely see more features launched to sell subscriptions.
The benefit of having a testing ground for new features is not just limited to generating additional revenue. It’s an excellent way to gather data about which features are worth investing in.
If Snapchat for the web turns out to be a hit with subscribers, it may eventually roll out to all users. On the one hand, it may collapse, and the company will know how to divert resources elsewhere.
We’ll have a better idea after Snapchat’s subsequent earnings call if users are excited enough about these features to buy a subscription.
Source: Snapchat newsroom
Featured image: screenshot from newsroom.snap.comJuly 18, 2022.
