9 ms·

Snapchat for Web

76 points by tech234a 4y ago

busymom0 4y ago
Why are they asking to use Chrome when I would suspect a big chunk of their base uses Safari?
- josephcsible 4y ago
  Presumably they're using some form of DRM that only works in Chrome.
josephcsible 4y ago
Will they permaban your account if you use this without first uninstalling your adblocker, under their "no modified clients" rule?
- lucb1e 4y ago
  Or if you have *gasp* a rooted linux desktop?
  - Geezus-42 4y ago
    What is a "rooted Linux desktop"?
    - lucb1e 4y ago
      Same as a rooted linux android except it's not plastered with warning messages about how you're voiding warranty, how dangerous it is, how you can't run certain software anymore, etc. Having control over your own device basically. Edit in case I'm being too obscure: just the having of any regular linux distribution means you have a rooted device, i.e. a normal regular laptop/desktop/whatever. Or for Windows you could call it administratored or SYSTEMed or something, which is also the norm
      - hoseja 4y ago
        lusers truly are better off with locked-down devices. But there should be an effective escape hatch.
rvz 4y ago
> Everyday 332 million people open Snapchat on their phones, and with our camera, can start conversations with their real friends. Today, we’re introducing Snapchat for Web, a new way for our community to stay connected through our camera when they’re at their computers. > Open your laptop and head to web.snapchat.com using Chrome to start a call or pick up where chats left off on mobile. And those 332 million people are being told to use Chrome and not Firefox. Indicating that Firefox has become totally irrelevant.
- EpicBlackCrayon 4y ago
  Yup, they may add support for Safari and call it a day. Hopefully they don't treat Firefox the same way they treated Windows Phone.
erulabs 4y ago
Good for Snap. I suspect this won't move the needle on young users - but I suspect it will probably help them recruit old sysadmins like myself. It's a sign of a still-directed-by-instinct and not KPI-uber-alles, which makes me happy to hold on to SNAP.
solarkraft 4y ago
Well that's cool for users with rooted Android devices, which are currently blocked from logging in with an obscure error message.
- thtpol 4y ago
  It's not meant for mobile phones (who can install the Snapchat app already), clearly targeted for desktop users as a companion app
  - metadat 4y ago
    I wouldn't normally bring this up but in this case it's a significant oversight: Did you read the comment you've replied to? Grandparent comment explicitly states a rooted android phone cannot install the Snapchat app. Snap has ensured it cannot work on a rooted device (as bank apps also do) to make it difficult to mess with the binary and end up saving or harvesting temporarily viewable content like snaps of genitalia or whatever people use snap for.
    - solarkraft 4y ago
      > to make it difficult to mess with the binary and end up saving or harvesting temporarily viewable content Which is funny because it's trivial without any modifications to the device (at least when I last used it). Just record the screen.
      - jondwillis 4y ago
        For extra points, record it while in airplane mode, then delete the app. Snap now has no idea and cannot tattle.
      - metadat 4y ago
        IIRC, screen recording or screenshotting will bubble an alert to the other party about what you've done, unless you disconnect from the network or some other shenanigans.
esoltys 4y ago
"Snapchat for Web is available to Snapchat+ subscribers now in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, and Snapchatters across Australia, and New Zealand. We can’t wait to bring it to our entire global community soon."
- lucb1e 4y ago
  I'm sure they couldn't wait to... install that geoblock? Sounds logical
  - atwood22 4y ago
    I think Snapchat+ is only available in those countries.
nikolay 4y ago
They indirectly make early adopters upgrade to Snap+ just to see that it's still not available!
solarkraft 4y ago
Ah, Snap loves being weird for the sake of being weird. Snapchat was a constant struggle for me (Gen Z) to operate before I stopped using it. The latest reminder for how hip and weird they are (in their world): The text "web.snapchat.com" is blue, underlined ... but not actually a clickable link. How cute, quirky and hip! The youngsters will love it.
- jmathai 4y ago
 There is an anchor around the domain text - just missing an href attribute. Probably due to the rich text editor used to draft the blog post.
- m348e912 4y ago
 >> Snapchat was a constant struggle for me (Gen Z) to operate before I stopped using it I am not gen z but I struggled with the anti-intuitive and weird interface. I grant that its quirkiness may be part of its appeal and the kids seem to love it. Could you not open in active camera mode though? That was just one annoying feature, I could list the things that just drove me bonkers.
 - aaaaaaaaata 4y ago
 They're driving content creation. If anyone reading this doesn't understand how well this works, you absolutely must go spend time with some people less intelligent than yourself. The state of the world could depend on it.
- dmix 4y ago
 The url works in Firefox, it might not in other browsers because they nested bold and underline tags: <a href="https://web.snapchat.com/">web.snapchat.com</a> (as the other person mentioned probably because they used a rich text editor).
 - entropie 4y ago
 But they say you should use chrome. Ironic. (Should work in chrome too)
js4ever 4y ago
I was interested by a web version few years ago... Now I think it's too late, I lost all imterest/curiosity for it.
makerofspoons 4y ago
Now that they have a web client they should consider making an official Tor service like Facebook and Twitter have. It has been used for activism in the past.
- agluszak 4y ago
  I don't know if that's irony, but do you really think that putting a service which cannot be trusted on Tor makes it trustworthy?
  - makerofspoons 4y ago
    No, but there is a use case for people whose threat model allows for identifying themselves to Snapchat but not for being identified by their ISP or government. Access has also been blocked in various countries over the years and a Tor service restores access.
- frozencell 4y ago
  > Tor service like Facebook and Twitter have. Pardon?
  - chrisshroba 4y ago
    Facebook: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook_onion_address https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook_onion_address Twitter: https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/8/22967843/twitter-tor-onion-service-version-launch https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/8/22967843/twitter-tor-onion...
    - frozencell 4y ago
      It is not a trap from the government? [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(network)#Eavesdropping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(network)#Eavesdropping
      - makerofspoons 4y ago
rgrieselhuber 4y ago
- rndmind 4y ago
ramoz 4y ago
I think this is still relevant for young people. I.e. graduating college and wanting to retain your popularity & digital social life as you work your 9-5 on a company computer .
agluszak 4y ago
Isn't that a bit... too late?
- runj__ 4y ago
  Or a step back in the right direction when everyone else has been moving in the opposite direction for the last decade. I love snapchat for silly group chats and close friend checkups. Streaks make me talk/ping to my best friend every day, no matter how they or I are feeling during the day.
foxfired 4y ago
This is a reminder that technology isn't the issue anymore. (we solved messaging since the AIM days). The only thing slowing down technology today is wall gardens. You can't count how many years too late Snapchat is. Even if you use both hands.
- fariszr 4y ago
  > The only thing slowing down technology today is wall gardens. Hopefully with the EU's DMA this will change.
  - ffhhj 4y ago
    》Hopefully with the EU's DMA this will change. Does it enforce unified communication protocols allowing the good old Trillian days?
    - fariszr 4y ago
      It enforces Open APIs for gate keepers https://matrix.org/blog/2022/03/25/interoperability-without-sacrificing-privacy-matrix-and-the-dma https://matrix.org/blog/2022/03/25/interoperability-without-...
- atwood22 4y ago
  Snapchat is the only widely used messaging system in the U.S. that's delete by default. That's huge for young people. Like Snapchat or not, its messaging model is an innovation, and an important one.
  - rchaud 4y ago
    Young people know how to take screenshots though
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
flawn 4y ago
They do everything but release a DAMN DARK MODE for Android
lordofgibbons 4y ago
>Open your laptop and head to web.snapchat.com using Chrome Wow Chrome really is the new IE. Developers are really shooting their future selves in the foot by only developing for Chrome. I don't know about you guys, but I don't want a web (de-facto) controlled by a giant ad company.
- likecarter 4y ago
  Chromium is open source and is adopted by Microsoft via Edge. So if Google stops working on it, I'm sure MS will take up development. I think one standard is better for developers, but maybe not for diversity.
- darknavi 4y ago
  Just migrated to Firefox from Edge Chromium last night. I know it will "burn" me one day but having the first one being Snapchat for Web makes me feel a little good.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- sph 4y ago
  IE was forced upon us by Microsoft, the biggest OS vendor. It was good to hate it and MS. Chrome is forced upon us by the same developers that frequent this forum. Chrome is bad, but webdevs that keep developing Chrome only sites should get the biggest share of the blame. At the risk of getting downvoted by the Chrome fans, shame on you for pushing forward the Google agenda and its monopoly over the Internet. I guess testing on Firefox or Safari is oh just so hard.
  - dylan604 4y ago
    >I guess testing on Firefox or Safari is oh just so hard. I'd be willing to stipulate that the testing isn't hard. It's the fixing of the quirks when they arise that is the hard part.
cryoz 4y ago
What about Firefox?
noway421 4y ago
I've got Snapchat+ and I've logged into my account, but it still says it's unavailable. Sad, must be a bug.
- marpstar 4y ago
  Same. In USA here... I'm guessing they're rolling it out gradually across the Snapchat+ subscriber base. We'll see if it's available in the morning...
sergiomattei 4y ago
This is quite good! I can't wait to try this out, use Snapchat with my partner quite often and might pay to use it from my laptop.
symlinkk 4y ago
Why are all the pictures young women?
- frozencell 4y ago
  Teenager girls are Snap's target audience.
ralston3 4y ago
If anyone from Snap is reading this. I can't login to web.snapchat.com because I don't remember my password. I can't reset my password because (1) I don't have an email on the account (FaceID), and (2) the number on my Snap account is from like 4 years ago (FaceID). In order to update the email or update the number, I need a....password. Someone should fix this.
- vinaykola 4y ago
  Mind sharing your Snapchat username (or email me at vinay.kola@snap.com)? I can raise this to the right folks.
  - ralston3 4y ago
    And just to let you know how absurd Snapchat's login flow is -- I managed to remember my password! But then I get the "This login seems suspicious, enter your phone number for verification" XD. This is a cruel joke and should be fixed.
koprulusector 4y ago
To use web.snapchat.com, one must obtain a subscription to Snapchat+ for $3.99/month. This seems to be a reasonable fee for someone that avidly uses the service. I pay $4.99/month (or something) for Reddit Premium, which not only grants me 700 "reddit coins" per month (can be used to purchase awards, etc.), but access to the r/lounge VIP space, and most important of all: removes all advertisements from my Reddit experience; worth every penny. Snap's press release is vague about what $3.99/month buys you. Specifically, I'm curious whether the paid subscription eliminates advertisements and/or affects how Snap collects and shares paid subscribers' data.
- tech234a 4y ago
  The paid tier has primarily cosmetic features [0], and it does not eliminate advertisements [1]. [0]: https://support.snapchat.com/en-US/article/snapchat-plus https://support.snapchat.com/en-US/article/snapchat-plus [1]: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/29/23187132/snapchat-plus-subscription-announced https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/29/23187132/snapchat-plus-su...
  - jonathantf2 4y ago
    That's the killer, I'd happily pay for no ads.
- corobo 4y ago
  > access to the r/lounge VIP space Bunch of nerds pretending to be upper class British people for some reason. Pip pip cheerio old bean gold coloured bowler hats am I right lads. Haha yes my monocle has arrived. If you're wondering, you're missing nothing.
- kome 4y ago
  to remove all advertisements isn't old.reddit.com + uBlock Origin the same?
- bearmode 4y ago
  >Reddit Premium, which not only grants me 700 "reddit coins" per month (can be used to purchase awards, etc.), Fake money to buy fake awards for people online? Eh, if you like it I guess > but access to the r/lounge VIP space That place is insufferable. Worst kinds of nerd in there. >removes all advertisements from my Reddit experience; worth every penny. This should only be an issue if you're using Reddit without an ad blocker on PC, or using the official app surely? Both of which are pretty insane
shreyshnaccount 4y ago
no one wants this.
- shreyshnaccount 4y ago
  (saying that cuz it seems, atleast in my friend group, that snap is being replaced by whatsapps disappearing messages, and the main draw is the camera app which people only use on phones anyway.)
allenleee 4y ago
Maybe they want to quietly move into social/gaming space on desktop? (ex: Discord)

Snapchat for Web

76 points by tech234a 4y ago

busymom0 4y ago

Why are they asking to use Chrome when I would suspect a big chunk of their base uses Safari?

josephcsible 4y ago
Presumably they're using some form of DRM that only works in Chrome.

josephcsible 4y ago

Will they permaban your account if you use this without first uninstalling your adblocker, under their "no modified clients" rule?

lucb1e 4y ago
Or if you have *gasp* a rooted linux desktop?
- Geezus-42 4y ago
  What is a "rooted Linux desktop"?
  - lucb1e 4y ago
    Same as a rooted linux android except it's not plastered with warning messages about how you're voiding warranty, how dangerous it is, how you can't run certain software anymore, etc. Having control over your own device basically. Edit in case I'm being too obscure: just the having of any regular linux distribution means you have a rooted device, i.e. a normal regular laptop/desktop/whatever. Or for Windows you could call it administratored or SYSTEMed or something, which is also the norm
    - hoseja 4y ago
      lusers truly are better off with locked-down devices. But there should be an effective escape hatch.

rvz 4y ago

> Everyday 332 million people open Snapchat on their phones, and with our camera, can start conversations with their real friends. Today, we’re introducing Snapchat for Web, a new way for our community to stay connected through our camera when they’re at their computers. > Open your laptop and head to web.snapchat.com using Chrome to start a call or pick up where chats left off on mobile. And those 332 million people are being told to use Chrome and not Firefox. Indicating that Firefox has become totally irrelevant.

EpicBlackCrayon 4y ago
Yup, they may add support for Safari and call it a day. Hopefully they don't treat Firefox the same way they treated Windows Phone.

erulabs 4y ago

Good for Snap. I suspect this won't move the needle on young users - but I suspect it will probably help them recruit old sysadmins like myself. It's a sign of a still-directed-by-instinct and not KPI-uber-alles, which makes me happy to hold on to SNAP.

solarkraft 4y ago

Well that's cool for users with rooted Android devices, which are currently blocked from logging in with an obscure error message.

thtpol 4y ago
It's not meant for mobile phones (who can install the Snapchat app already), clearly targeted for desktop users as a companion app
- metadat 4y ago
  I wouldn't normally bring this up but in this case it's a significant oversight: Did you read the comment you've replied to? Grandparent comment explicitly states a rooted android phone cannot install the Snapchat app. Snap has ensured it cannot work on a rooted device (as bank apps also do) to make it difficult to mess with the binary and end up saving or harvesting temporarily viewable content like snaps of genitalia or whatever people use snap for.
  - solarkraft 4y ago
    > to make it difficult to mess with the binary and end up saving or harvesting temporarily viewable content Which is funny because it's trivial without any modifications to the device (at least when I last used it). Just record the screen.
    - jondwillis 4y ago
      For extra points, record it while in airplane mode, then delete the app. Snap now has no idea and cannot tattle.
    - metadat 4y ago
      IIRC, screen recording or screenshotting will bubble an alert to the other party about what you've done, unless you disconnect from the network or some other shenanigans.

esoltys 4y ago

"Snapchat for Web is available to Snapchat+ subscribers now in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, and Snapchatters across Australia, and New Zealand. We can’t wait to bring it to our entire global community soon."

lucb1e 4y ago
I'm sure they couldn't wait to... install that geoblock? Sounds logical
- atwood22 4y ago
  I think Snapchat+ is only available in those countries.

nikolay 4y ago

They indirectly make early adopters upgrade to Snap+ just to see that it's still not available!

solarkraft 4y ago

Ah, Snap loves being weird for the sake of being weird. Snapchat was a constant struggle for me (Gen Z) to operate before I stopped using it. The latest reminder for how hip and weird they are (in their world): The text "web.snapchat.com" is blue, underlined ... but not actually a clickable link. How cute, quirky and hip! The youngsters will love it.

jmathai 4y ago
There is an anchor around the domain text - just missing an href attribute. Probably due to the rich text editor used to draft the blog post.
m348e912 4y ago
>> Snapchat was a constant struggle for me (Gen Z) to operate before I stopped using it I am not gen z but I struggled with the anti-intuitive and weird interface. I grant that its quirkiness may be part of its appeal and the kids seem to love it. Could you not open in active camera mode though? That was just one annoying feature, I could list the things that just drove me bonkers.
- aaaaaaaaata 4y ago
  They're driving content creation. If anyone reading this doesn't understand how well this works, you absolutely must go spend time with some people less intelligent than yourself. The state of the world could depend on it.
dmix 4y ago
The url works in Firefox, it might not in other browsers because they nested bold and underline tags: <a href="https://web.snapchat.com/">web.snapchat.com</a> (as the other person mentioned probably because they used a rich text editor).
- entropie 4y ago
 But they say you should use chrome. Ironic. (Should work in chrome too)

js4ever 4y ago

I was interested by a web version few years ago... Now I think it's too late, I lost all imterest/curiosity for it.

makerofspoons 4y ago

Now that they have a web client they should consider making an official Tor service like Facebook and Twitter have. It has been used for activism in the past.

agluszak 4y ago
I don't know if that's irony, but do you really think that putting a service which cannot be trusted on Tor makes it trustworthy?
- makerofspoons 4y ago
  No, but there is a use case for people whose threat model allows for identifying themselves to Snapchat but not for being identified by their ISP or government. Access has also been blocked in various countries over the years and a Tor service restores access.
frozencell 4y ago
> Tor service like Facebook and Twitter have. Pardon?
- chrisshroba 4y ago
  Facebook: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook_onion_address https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook_onion_address Twitter: https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/8/22967843/twitter-tor-onion-service-version-launch https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/8/22967843/twitter-tor-onion...
  - frozencell 4y ago
    It is not a trap from the government? [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(network)#Eavesdropping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(network)#Eavesdropping
    - makerofspoons 4y ago

rgrieselhuber 4y ago

rndmind 4y ago

ramoz 4y ago

I think this is still relevant for young people. I.e. graduating college and wanting to retain your popularity & digital social life as you work your 9-5 on a company computer .

agluszak 4y ago

Isn't that a bit... too late?

runj__ 4y ago
Or a step back in the right direction when everyone else has been moving in the opposite direction for the last decade. I love snapchat for silly group chats and close friend checkups. Streaks make me talk/ping to my best friend every day, no matter how they or I are feeling during the day.

foxfired 4y ago

This is a reminder that technology isn't the issue anymore. (we solved messaging since the AIM days). The only thing slowing down technology today is wall gardens. You can't count how many years too late Snapchat is. Even if you use both hands.

fariszr 4y ago
> The only thing slowing down technology today is wall gardens. Hopefully with the EU's DMA this will change.
- ffhhj 4y ago
  》Hopefully with the EU's DMA this will change. Does it enforce unified communication protocols allowing the good old Trillian days?
  - fariszr 4y ago
    It enforces Open APIs for gate keepers https://matrix.org/blog/2022/03/25/interoperability-without-sacrificing-privacy-matrix-and-the-dma https://matrix.org/blog/2022/03/25/interoperability-without-...
atwood22 4y ago
Snapchat is the only widely used messaging system in the U.S. that's delete by default. That's huge for young people. Like Snapchat or not, its messaging model is an innovation, and an important one.
- rchaud 4y ago
  Young people know how to take screenshots though
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

flawn 4y ago

They do everything but release a DAMN DARK MODE for Android

lordofgibbons 4y ago

>Open your laptop and head to web.snapchat.com using Chrome Wow Chrome really is the new IE. Developers are really shooting their future selves in the foot by only developing for Chrome. I don't know about you guys, but I don't want a web (de-facto) controlled by a giant ad company.

likecarter 4y ago
Chromium is open source and is adopted by Microsoft via Edge. So if Google stops working on it, I'm sure MS will take up development. I think one standard is better for developers, but maybe not for diversity.
darknavi 4y ago
Just migrated to Firefox from Edge Chromium last night. I know it will "burn" me one day but having the first one being Snapchat for Web makes me feel a little good.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
sph 4y ago
IE was forced upon us by Microsoft, the biggest OS vendor. It was good to hate it and MS. Chrome is forced upon us by the same developers that frequent this forum. Chrome is bad, but webdevs that keep developing Chrome only sites should get the biggest share of the blame. At the risk of getting downvoted by the Chrome fans, shame on you for pushing forward the Google agenda and its monopoly over the Internet. I guess testing on Firefox or Safari is oh just so hard.
- dylan604 4y ago
  >I guess testing on Firefox or Safari is oh just so hard. I'd be willing to stipulate that the testing isn't hard. It's the fixing of the quirks when they arise that is the hard part.

cryoz 4y ago

What about Firefox?

noway421 4y ago

I've got Snapchat+ and I've logged into my account, but it still says it's unavailable. Sad, must be a bug.

marpstar 4y ago
Same. In USA here... I'm guessing they're rolling it out gradually across the Snapchat+ subscriber base. We'll see if it's available in the morning...

sergiomattei 4y ago

This is quite good! I can't wait to try this out, use Snapchat with my partner quite often and might pay to use it from my laptop.

symlinkk 4y ago

Why are all the pictures young women?

frozencell 4y ago
Teenager girls are Snap's target audience.

ralston3 4y ago

If anyone from Snap is reading this. I can't login to web.snapchat.com because I don't remember my password. I can't reset my password because (1) I don't have an email on the account (FaceID), and (2) the number on my Snap account is from like 4 years ago (FaceID). In order to update the email or update the number, I need a....password. Someone should fix this.

vinaykola 4y ago
Mind sharing your Snapchat username (or email me at vinay.kola@snap.com)? I can raise this to the right folks.
- ralston3 4y ago
  And just to let you know how absurd Snapchat's login flow is -- I managed to remember my password! But then I get the "This login seems suspicious, enter your phone number for verification" XD. This is a cruel joke and should be fixed.

koprulusector 4y ago

To use web.snapchat.com, one must obtain a subscription to Snapchat+ for $3.99/month. This seems to be a reasonable fee for someone that avidly uses the service. I pay $4.99/month (or something) for Reddit Premium, which not only grants me 700 "reddit coins" per month (can be used to purchase awards, etc.), but access to the r/lounge VIP space, and most important of all: removes all advertisements from my Reddit experience; worth every penny. Snap's press release is vague about what $3.99/month buys you. Specifically, I'm curious whether the paid subscription eliminates advertisements and/or affects how Snap collects and shares paid subscribers' data.

tech234a 4y ago
The paid tier has primarily cosmetic features [0], and it does not eliminate advertisements [1]. [0]: https://support.snapchat.com/en-US/article/snapchat-plus https://support.snapchat.com/en-US/article/snapchat-plus [1]: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/29/23187132/snapchat-plus-subscription-announced https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/29/23187132/snapchat-plus-su...
- jonathantf2 4y ago
  That's the killer, I'd happily pay for no ads.
corobo 4y ago
> access to the r/lounge VIP space Bunch of nerds pretending to be upper class British people for some reason. Pip pip cheerio old bean gold coloured bowler hats am I right lads. Haha yes my monocle has arrived. If you're wondering, you're missing nothing.
kome 4y ago
to remove all advertisements isn't old.reddit.com + uBlock Origin the same?
bearmode 4y ago
>Reddit Premium, which not only grants me 700 "reddit coins" per month (can be used to purchase awards, etc.), Fake money to buy fake awards for people online? Eh, if you like it I guess > but access to the r/lounge VIP space That place is insufferable. Worst kinds of nerd in there. >removes all advertisements from my Reddit experience; worth every penny. This should only be an issue if you're using Reddit without an ad blocker on PC, or using the official app surely? Both of which are pretty insane

shreyshnaccount 4y ago

no one wants this.

shreyshnaccount 4y ago
(saying that cuz it seems, atleast in my friend group, that snap is being replaced by whatsapps disappearing messages, and the main draw is the camera app which people only use on phones anyway.)

allenleee 4y ago

Maybe they want to quietly move into social/gaming space on desktop? (ex: Discord)