Snapchat is adding new features to the popular smartphone app in an attempt to elevate the user experience, while also appealing more to third-party developers. As the market has evolved, app developers have faced new competition that requires them to upgrade what they offer and broaden the scope of their applications. In some cases, even reenvisioning what an app is and how it functions on a smartphone.
Snapchat allows users to exchange messages and images that disappear shortly after being seen. The app gives people the ability to draw on their pictures and apply filters for extra customization. Furthermore, these features culminate together to give users the ability to post stories to share with anyone who has added them. Individual users aside, Snapchat has also become a platform that allows companies to advertise in a creative manner.
Snapchat is adding third-party programs to the multimedia messenger platform with the purpose of getting third-party developers more involved with the app. A user can select one of the programs, known as Minis, to perform various actions within a chat. For example, a user can meditate, study, buy tickets, make predictions, register to vote, and make festival plans using Minis.
The multimedia messaging app had already laid some groundwork for the new additional features when it added games. That said, it may take a while before the public sees a significant number of Minis available, as this will allow Snapchat to try and prevent security problems that may arise when it integrates features by third-party developers. HTML5 is being used to build all the Minis and that's the same coding used for Snapchat’s games. While Snapchat is not the first company to incorporate third-party features, there are still a lot of apps and services that don't yet include features from third-parties in their apps.
The variety of Minis available will appeal to different fields of interest, while simultaneously attracting new users. Some may prefer the use of the Headspace meditation Mini to destress, while educational Minis like Saturn and Tembo can help students compare schedules and create flashcards, respectively - offering younger users tools that are different to what they are getting through competing apps, like TikTok and Instagram. However, Snapchat’s Minis don't just cater to one demographic with Coachella and Atom Tickets Minis also available. As to be expected, these two offer users a way to plan festival trips or buy movie tickets with friends.
Snapchat adapting its business by slowly implementing these features gives third-party developers a chance to stretch their legs and prove their worth, while at the same time providing both new and existing users with even greater functionality than ever before. Furthermore, including actions like helping users to register to vote highlights how Snapchat wants to accommodate the varying needs of the average user.
Source: Snap
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