Snapchat has advanced its efforts to make user access smoother by launching the dedicated Apple Watch app. This new integration allows users to preview and respond to messages without needing their phones. While it may not be groundbreaking in the world of messaging, it demonstrates how Snapchat aims to stay relevant in a multi-device world. Second, this update tip prioritizes convenience when the user is on the move and simply wants to be connected without pulling their phone from their pocket. Whether it goes viral or not will probably depend on how closely tied their day-to-day communication is to Snapchat.
Streamlined Messaging Right from Your Wrist
With the new Snapchat Apple Watch app in hand, Snapchatters can view their incoming messages and begin composing responses using Dictation, Scribble, or a small on-screen keyboard. Unlike the full application, which features a more complex interface, this Watch app is all about speed, letting you quickly let someone know you're at a location or send an emoji while working out. It certainly helps you stay in the moment while connected: marry that with an iPhone-alone app that requires plenty of attention, and you picture disruption. That said, it's also a gentle reminder that your watch needs to remain the child's right next to your iPhone; in other words, full independence hasn't been achieved yet.
A Logical Move in a Multi-Device World
The wearable expansion fits well with Snapchat's larger vision of being accessible across all platforms. The company has emphasized that its work has been about making conversations seamless, whether on tablets, on desktops, or now on smartwatches. This, in and of itself, will likely not lead to a massive spike in Snapchat engagement, as only a fraction of the 900 million monthly active users also own Apple Watches. However, it concerns Snap's willingness to adapt and meet users where they are, especially considering that there are approximately 30 million Apple Watch users in the U.S. alone.
Continuing the Conversation Across Every Surface
While the arrival of an Apple Watch app may not revolutionize Snapchat usage, it certainly indicates that Snap is intent on embedding itself more deeply into users' everyday lives. After all, friends and family form the core purposes of the platform, and more ways for those conversations to flow can only increase the platform's value. In all actuality, a user may not interact with the new wearable option that often; yet that never stops being another layer of potential accessibility, bringing Snap ever closer to being a fully integrated, omnichannel communication platform.
