Snapchat announced Thursday the global launch of its dedicated watchOS app, bringing the popular social media platform directly to Apple Watch users. With this new application, Snapchat expands its accessibility across mobile devices, tablets, the web, and now wearable technology.
Through the new Apple Watch app, users can swiftly preview incoming messages and instantly respond via text, Scribble, Dictation, or emoji. Snapchat highlighted how convenient and seamless this feature will be for quick interactions, such as notifying friends of one’s arrival at a restaurant or replying on-the-go during physical activities like running.
While Apple Watch notifications had previously allowed users to preview Snapchat messages enabled via their iPhones, the ability to respond directly from the watch interface is entirely new. Snapchat emphasized that the launch aligns with its vision of making the service available across every type of device users interact with daily.
In a statement, the company wrote, “The number of devices we use in our daily lives has grown. Already, we’ve seen our community enjoy using Snapchat on tablet and web, beyond mobile, and today’s release underscores our ongoing commitment toward making Snapchat accessible wherever our users are—including wearables.”
The launch is notably significant given Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel’s earlier hesitations years ago regarding the Apple Watch’s small screen, which he had suggested might not deliver the optimal experience for viewing images and videos. Snapchat now clarifies that its watchOS app focuses specifically on facilitating swift and easy messaging, rather than multimedia viewing.
With this roll-out, Snapchat officially steps ahead of rival messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, neither of which currently offer a dedicated watchOS app.
