Started as a small college project, in Stanford classroom and now share 700 million photos per day; there is no doubt snapchat is one of biggest mobile app in the industry. However it is not only the hottest but also the most controversial mobile messaging apps in the market today.
So if you are new to snapchat or looking for some snapchat tips and tricks then you are in the right place. This article is a layman’s guide to people who are new to snapchat. But if you are already familiar with snapchat then read along and you might discover something new.
What is the idea behind snap chat?
The concept of snapchat is quite simple, this mobile app lets you share a moment at one-to-one personal level. For instance, lets say you got a message from your friends asking you what’s up? Now what will you prefer texting or taking a quick snap of what ever you are doing. Most people will go with 2 option and this is what make snapchat popular.
Snapchat is fun app, as the users don’t have to worry about leaving trails of crazy images, which is not possible on Facebook, twitter or any other social media. But since most of its users are teenager between age of 16-18 and pictures are self destruct in few seconds, people also teens often use snapchat to share compromising pics. This why snapchat is often calledsextingapp.
How snap chat works?
Snapchat is a mobile app that allow the users to send and receive “self-destructive” photos and videos. The sender snap a picture using the app build in camera of phone and determines how many seconds (1-10) the recipient can view the Snap before the file disappears from the recipient’s device. And even if the receiver take a screen shot the app immediately notify this to sender.
The interesting part here is that, company claims that none all the media are stored in their server. This claims encourage more user to send silly images as they are going to self destuct eventually.
Which platform do snapchat support?
Like Instagram, snapchat is exclusively for mobile. Snapchat is available for free download for iOS , android via play store. So what about windows, is there snapchat for windows phone ? Well there is no official app for windows user but folks have manage to create a non official app for snapchat called 6snap. Similarly there is this guide which explains how to get Snapchat on your BlackBerry.
So to sum up, we pretty much have snapchat in all the version of mobile OS however one can’t compare the security of unofficial one over the official ones.
Is snapchat safe for sharing compromising pictures?
No.Even tough company claims that every images are destroyed after recipient see it. I strongly believe one should not use snapchat for sexting. And here are some of valid reason to support that.
1. The recipient always has the option to take to save your picture. Even if you trust the recipient you, what if the phone is not with him or her.
2. One can not be sure if the company is deleting images or not.
3. And even if they are deleting it there is always a change to retrieve them. Remember Whatever goes to the internet even if its delete. All digital communication leaves trail, and part of the message can traced back, before or after the conversation take place.
Update:
Recently 100,000 snapchat photos are reported to be leaked by anonymous members of 4chain forum by hacking third-party app that some Snapchat users downloaded to store their photos. Although snapchat has stated that this has nothing to do with their server and using third party service is prohibited in their terms of agreement but still you can get an idea that Snapchat is never saved for sharing photos that you don’t want to see going public.
How snapchat make money?
Apparently snapchat do not have any defiantly revenue modal. With 100 million user base age between 18-24 snapchat needs a different modal for monetization. Being a different modal from other social apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram as it don’t keep up any profile data for its users. Snapchat needs an entire different modal for work.
How to get snapchat for the computer ?
Although snapchat is a mobile only app there are few workaround to get it working on Pc. Surprising there are many web apps that lets you login with your snapchat credentials and let you use snapchat as you normally do. For instance you can login to snapchat account via snapchat.amor online snapsusing your snapchat credentials.
Or you can also use an android emulator like bluestacks. And install snapchat from the market.
Is there a way to save snapchat pic?
The elevator pitch of snapchat is; photo disappear and erased permanently after few second. And even if the receiver take screenshot then sender get the notification of this act from snapchat. However this is not always true. One can always take save the images without letting the sender know. For example-
Use another phone’s camera to take picture of the screen.
Using apps like SaveMySnaps, that can save images without letting the other person knows.
Logging to snapchat from PC via and take a screenshot.
Mrinal Saha
Mrinal is a tech geek who spends half of his day reading and writing about tech. While the nights are spent on shooting or editing YouTube videos. Feel free to geek out with him on-
