New Snapchat App For Windows Phone Under Development
Open source Snapchat app under development for Windows Phone, despite founder’s alleged hatred of Windows
Messaging app service Snapchat has long been a notable absentee in the app portfolio for the Windows Phone (WP) platform.
But now developer Filiph Sandström is reportedly working on an open source (third-party) Snapchat app for WP and Windows 10. But in doing so, he risks the wrath of Snapchat CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel.
Windows Hatred?
Spiegel has a mixed reputation, and has reportedly previous turned down a multi billion dollar offer from Facebook for his company.
Matters were also not helped when controversial emails written by Spiegel during his college days were published online in 2014.
Spiegel is also alleged to “hate Microsoft”, as Snapchat has never developed an app for the Windows Phone platform. When a Windows Phone user tweeted Spiegel, asking whether or not an official version of Snapchat would ever hit the Windows Phone app store. Spiegel’s response? “Didn’t think anyone used those ;)”
Spiegel also reportedly calls in the lawyers whenever developers create third-party Snapchat apps (i.e. Swapchat) for the Windows Phone platform. This is despite the existence of third-party Snapchat apps on Android and iOS (alongside official Snapchat apps), which have not reportedly triggered a legal response from the company.
Into this potentially hostile atmosphere then, developer Filiph Sandström has pledged to create an open source Snapchat app for Windows Phone. He is calling the app SwiftSnapper.
Sandström will have to walk a tricky line to get SwiftSnapper past Snapchat’s blocking filters and obtain permission for it to remain in the app store.
Sandström’s SwiftSnapper project is currently published on Github, and the idea is that it will eventually allow Windows Phone and Windows 10 users to connect to Snapchat just as they do with the official client on Android or iOS.
Valuable Start-up
In June last year Snapchat took steps to shore up its security provisions with a new update that included the ability to enable two-factor authentication when logging in.
The company itself has previously been rumoured to be seeking £325m ($500m) in funding, which could value the company at nearly £13bn ($19bn).
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