Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tech & Science

Deepening the mystery: Snapchat has ‘plans’ for Windows Phone app

The history of Snapchat and Windows Phone is long, tedious and incredibly frustrating to the platform’s fans. To make it clear, there has never been an official Snapchat app for Windows Phone and it has never looked like there will be. Last night this changed though as Snapchat Support tweeted to say that there are now “plans” to bring the app to Windows Phone.
Originally, the lack of an official app wasn’t a huge issue. Third-party app developers like the renowned Rudy Huyn and his “6snap” were quick to fill the gap with high-quality, functional apps that included all of the key Snapchat features and cooperated well with the company’s API.
6snap and others thrived on the store. Although the absence of an official Snapchat app remained notable, it didn’t really matter when 6snap was capable of outperforming the official Snapchat offerings on iOS and Android whilst adhering fully to Microsoft’s unique Windows Phone design language.
Late last year, that all changed. Along came the “snappening” where a major security breach led to thousands of Snapchat users’ photos being leaked online and with it a subsequent tightening up of the Snapchat API.
The company concluded that the hack was caused by insecure third-party apps and began to lock them down. Penalising those who continued to use apps like the infamous 6snap, many users were warned that their accounts would be blocked if they kept on accessing Snapchat through anything but an official Snapchat app.
On Windows Phone, there was no official Snapchat app. Users protested strongly on social media but to no avail and by December many users were finding their accounts permanently blocked. Then, in one overnight sweep, Snapchat requested that Microsoft remove every third-party app from the Windows Phone Store.
To fans of Snapchat and Windows Phone, it seemed like the end had finally arrived and so it has remained until last night. In an unprecedented move, Snapchat Support replied to an inquiring tweet about Windows Phone support with a response never seen before: “There are plans to make it available in the future, we’ll give deets when that’s close. Hope this helps! :)”
Inevitably, news quickly spread online. Seemingly, Snapchat may be bowing to popular demand and finally rising to the challenge of giving Windows Phone users what they have been asking for. Although nothing is official – and Snapchat Support may have simply misspoken – it does look as though Snapchat may finally arrive officially on Microsoft’s platform, possibly to coincide with the Windows 10 launch this summer.
Historically, Snapchat has shown no respect at all for Microsoft and Windows. Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel famously said “I didn’t think anybody used those :)” in response to a question about Windows Phone support a couple of years ago and the company has consistently refused to accept either money and help from Microsoft or the support of Rudy Huyn, developer of the famed 6snap who tried so hard to create what Snapchat themselves couldn’t – or wouldn’t.

Written By

You may also like:

Social Media

Wanna buy some ignorance? You’re in luck.

Tech & Science

Under new legislation that passed the House of Representatives last week, TikTok could be banned in the United States.

Life

Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest often suggest travel destinations based on your likes and viewing habits.

Social Media

From vampires and wendigos to killer asteroids, TikTok users are pumping out outlandish end-of-the-world conspiracy theories.