Snapchat brings chatting and video calling to the web

Image: Snap

It's the first time that the company has made its service available outside of its phones.

You can log in with yourSnapchat account and send private messages or call friends on the web. It is the first major feature launch since the paid tier was announced. First access will be given to subscribers in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The app will not work with Apple's browser.

Nathan Boyd, head of messaging product, says that a web offering makes sense because its users are using desktop computers more often. There is more space to chat and call in the same window with the upcoming addition of the augmented reality feature. With people using computers more during the Pandemic and the new school year around the corner, the company wants to bring more of its products to the web.

Image: Snap

The main use case of the app is still private, ephemeral messaging and calling, even though it is mostly an augmented reality platform. The web version of the messaging service is in competition with other services. 100 million people call each other on Snapchat every month, spending an average of more than 30 minutes a day, and chatting is usually the last thing people do before closing the app, according to a report.

He said in an interview that they are always looking for ways to meet their community. It felt like an opportunity that wasn't available.

The expansion of the website to subscribers signals that the company is serious about making money. As leadership warns that revenue growth is slowing, the company is under pressure like never before. The hope is that the desktop version will keep users from leaving.