14 DAY TRIAL // Snapchat has been one of the most popular apps missing from Windows phones and what’s more, all third-party alternatives got banned pretty fast at the company’s own request.
Things haven’t changed too much after the demise of Windows 10 Mobile, and Snapchat still doesn’t see the Microsoft Store as a priority, though the company can’t ignore the growing user base of Windows as a platform.
So recently Snapchat debuted Snap Camera, a new app for Windows that’s supposed to add support for Lenses for any application using the camera and running on Microsoft’s operating system.
Technically, with Snap Camera you can use Snapchat Lenses regardless of the application, and you can enable it with Skype and Google Hangouts.
While this is quite a neat addition to the Windows app arsenal, it’s important to note that Snapchat hasn’t published Snap Camera on the Microsoft Store, but released it separate on its own website as a Win32 program.
No Snapchat for Windows 10
Needless to say, the Snapchat client still isn’t available for Windows 10 users, and given the current state of Windows phones, it obviously misses from the mobile platform too.
But with Snap Camera, Snapchat hopes it could keep its service relevant on the desktop too, though it goes without saying that the lack of an official client may impact its adoption.
“With Snap Camera for desktop, choose from thousands of Lenses, including classics made by Snapchat as well as new designs created daily by the Lens Creator community through Lens Studio. This means more streaming and sharing with Lenses — now on more devices!” Snapchat said in the official announcement.
You can download Snap Camera using this link, and in order to enable it, you just have to install the app and then let it sync with the camera that is connecting to your computer. You can then choose the Lens you wish to use from its dedicated UI.
