July 20, 2022 · less than 3 min read
Snap announced its mobile app would finally be available on computer screens after more than a decade of app-only glory.
Snapchat, but bigger
It would appear that we’ve come full circle. Who remembers the days when the big social platforms launched their apps? It was ground-breaking. Facebook… On your phone?! What a concept. And now, tying the loop, Snap has broken the app-centric mould and announced that its primary social platform, Snapchat, is coming to desktop.
In finally succumbing to the move, Snapchat – which has grown up alongside a generation of its users – is acknowledging its own maturity. The teenagers that were snapping each other a decade ago are probably working from an office or a big screen these days. Time flies, huh?
Down under or down payment
For starters, this new desktop version of Snapchat will only be available in Australia and New Zealand, or to those in the US, UK, and Canada that are willing to pay for it. It’ll come as part of the Snapchat+ subscription, which invites users to pay $3.99 a month for more advanced features. The core product on desktop will be the same as the app, albeit a stripped-down version, with messages disappearing after 24 hours and images disappearing instantly.
This is the latest in a string of moves from Snap to try and claw back some of its recent losses. A tough first half of the year has seen earnings down 70%, with shares in May plummeting by 43%.
But what could its latest move mean for you? All eyes will now be on the company’s next earnings report, which will be published tomorrow (July 21). As the first of the major ad-supported app makers to report earnings this period, the numbers will offer some real insight into whether ad-supported is the way to revitalize many tech platforms, both social and streaming, that are currently experiencing dwindling figures. If you’ve got money in Snap – or any other tech firm for that matter, then keep your eyes peeled.
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