In July, Snapchat teased us about expanding the platform’s presence beyond mobile into a brand-new web version. The web version, which previously gave exclusive access to paid members only, is now accessible to all users, according to Snapchat.
Today, a list of new features was released, including broader accessibility for web users. Users can video call and chat with friends on the Snapchat web, and conversations can sync across devices. A web version of Snapchat, according to Snap’s head of messaging products Nathan Boyd, is an “unmet opportunity” for the company.
With more extensive surface area available in the web version, users can video call and chat with friends simultaneously. According to a statement issued by the company in July, 100 million people use Snapchat each month to call and still go ahead with chatting with another user just before they put the app away.
From the onset, Snapchat for the web was primarily offered to Snapchat Plus customers, who pay a monthly fee for early and special access to features. More than a million users joined up for the paid tier in the first six weeks, which is a hint that Snap’s new revenue model is already flourishing.