Snapchat blocks 6snap for Windows Phone

[itskaizad]

About two weeks ago, Team Snapchat sent me a message on my account saying they would block my account if i continued using a third party client. Well, everyone knows that every single Windows Phone user uses 6snap as a Snapchat client.

 

Today, my account was blocked following which I was forced to change my password. If they continue doing this, Snapchat will alienate every single Windows Phone user from their service.

 

In my opinion this is something unacceptable. They either need to provide a fully functional official client, or need to stop blocking third party applications on platforms where they do not have official clients. Since Neowin is largeley a Windows Phone and Windows community, what better place to start? I feel we should start a petition against Snapchat Inc. to fix this on www.change.org . Anyone up for this?

[ATLien_0]

Instagram was the same way for a while, but that was before they released their app. I started using 6tag again, mainly because Instagram doesn't seem to care anymore about updating the WP version out of Beta. Its been in Beta for almost a year now and all the while they continue to push updates to iOS and Android. I hate when developers do this

[Dot Matrix]

Meh. Oh well. I guess if I want my stuff stolen, it'll have to go on iCloud instead. :P

[remixedcat]

and I was considering getting a windows phone soon :(

[Guest]

Just don't use the service? If they don't consider you a relevant customer, why even bother?

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Yeah I currently have this problem with my windows phone.

 

Switching to a iPhone soon tho

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

 

It sounds like Snapchat is trying to avoid a repeat of this incident:

• Hackers to leak thousands of unauthorized Snapchat pictures (USA Today, October 10, 2014)

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

[vcfan]

its not like they are only targeting the windows phone app, they are banning people using third party apps on all platforms.

[Sir Topham Hatt]

The thing is though, the majority of people use Windows as an operating system.

Yes, I get it, Windows Phone isn't worth developing for... but it will be.  The more Windows and Windows Phone / Windows RT get integrated, the more useful it will become.

 

My bank doesn't have a banking app for WP.  Android yes, iOS, yes, WP, no.  "There are no plans to develop a Windows Phone app".  But in the end, they will develop one.

 

Same with snapchat.

It's on the downward turn now anyway, like Candy Crush and others. I feel consumers are just waiting for the next big app to have.

[Ryoken]

Yes, I get it, Windows Phone isn't worth developing for... but it will be. 

 

MS has had a mobile OS for how long now? And what % of the market is it again? Ya, no one is taking that bet. I doubt even MS thinks it will be a serious contender, at least not any time in the foreseeable future.

 

 

As for Snapchat. They are actually doing the right thing. They don't need to make an app for everything to detect a 3rd party logging in with your credentials and stopping it. Sucks that they don't have their own app, but you chose to use the service knowing that, and they chose to not allow 3rd Party access. Make your choice. Personally, I'm with them, security trumps the few people this will alienate. You're lucky they even let you back in. Many other services out there that don't allow 3rd party access would have banned the account and you'd be waiting days to get access again, if ever.

[George P Global Moderator]

Candy crush is coming to WP finally btw. It could just be a case of their ios and android userbase shrinking now so they're looking to tap into the WP users.

 

As far as the whole market share argument, using that as an excuse not to develop for the platform is BS. You can argue about the percentages but even 4% is millions of users. If people can't make that connection then it's their loss as far as selling more apps. 

 

MS alone is expected to sell 35 million Lumias in 2014, if a developer wants to turn their back on those users I don't know what to say.

[remixedcat]

anyone know if wifi apps are still blocked on windows phone? I would love to develop one if I do get a lumia for my birthday.

[articuno1au]

MS has had a mobile OS for how long now? And what % of the market is it again? Ya, no one is taking that bet. I doubt even MS thinks it will be a serious contender, at least not any time in the foreseeable future.

 

 

As for Snapchat. They are actually doing the right thing. They don't need to make an app for everything to detect a 3rd party logging in with your credentials and stopping it. Sucks that they don't have their own app, but you chose to use the service knowing that, and they chose to not allow 3rd Party access. Make your choice. Personally, I'm with them, security trumps the few people this will alienate. You're lucky they even let you back in. Many other services out there that don't allow 3rd party access would have banned the account and you'd be waiting days to get access again, if ever.

2.7% of the market, a comfortable third with a market share that has been growing pretty decently. That's easily 10s of millions of new devices a year, not to mention those holding on to older phones.

 

Let's talk from the introduction of WP8 (coz 7 lol). During the last 2 years, Microsoft has seen more than a 2% growth in market share. For a new entrant to an already heavily saturated and competitive market, this is enormous.

 

Microsoft are continuing to bet heavily on the platform, they recently announced x86 support for WP/RT hybrids (whatever they end up calling them) which means that devices are still coming. Further to this, the fact that they are merging the RT and WP lines means they have plans.

 

With the introduction of a shared marketplace, I think you'll find MS become a noteworthy competitor in this space, even if they don't overtake Google.

 

I think by 2018 we could easily be looking at high 20% market share numbers.

 

Also, could your professed dislike of Windows 8 be in any way affecting your input on this? Just curious..

anyone know if wifi apps are still blocked on windows phone? I would love to develop one if I do get a lumia for my birthday.

What do you mean by Wifi apps?

[Ryoken]

No, the fact that they are under 3% of the market share is why it's not worth it for them to make an app. But even if it was Android, or iOS, and they didn't have an App, I'd say they are STILL right to control who has access and not allow 3rd party access if they don't want too. It's their service.

[articuno1au]

The first part is completely moot given the work has been done. Further, Rudy offered to put the safe guards they wanted in place.

 

No-one is asserting that 6snap MUST do anything. They have the right to control the platform just like we have the right to say that they shouldn't be doing what they are doing.

 

Blocking Windows Phone users is both offensive to the userbase and unhelpful. All we can do is keep pointing this out and hope it changes.

[remixedcat]

 

 

 

2.7% of the market, a comfortable third with a market share that has been growing pretty decently. That's easily 10s of millions of new devices a year, not to mention those holding on to older phones.

 

Let's talk from the introduction of WP8 (coz 7 lol). During the last 2 years, Microsoft has seen more than a 2% growth in market share. For a new entrant to an already heavily saturated and competitive market, this is enormous.

 

Microsoft are continuing to bet heavily on the platform, they recently announced x86 support for WP/RT hybrids (whatever they end up calling them) which means that devices are still coming. Further to this, the fact that they are merging the RT and WP lines means they have plans.

 

With the introduction of a shared marketplace, I think you'll find MS become a noteworthy competitor in this space, even if they don't overtake Google.

 

I think by 2018 we could easily be looking at high 20% market share numbers.

 

Also, could your professed dislike of Windows 8 be in any way affecting your input on this? Just curious..

What do you mean by Wifi apps?

 

Stuff like farproc wifi and inssider

[Knife Party]

Candy crush is coming to WP finally btw. It could just be a case of their ios and android userbase shrinking now so they're looking to tap into the WP users.

 

As far as the whole market share argument, using that as an excuse not to develop for the platform is BS. You can argue about the percentages but even 4% is millions of users. If people can't make that connection then it's their loss as far as selling more apps. 

 

MS alone is expected to sell 35 million Lumias in 2014, if a developer wants to turn their back on those users I don't know what to say.

aww poor WP users, always losing out. Let's all be sad. Sadly 3% global market share is peanuts and no one should bother, unless MS the creator of the app economy gets a a sudden jolt of genius and actually attracts developers... Little incentive, and you can't argue with that logic, no matter what.

[articuno1au]

 

Stuff like farproc wifi and inssider

Nope, the APIs aren't available.

[articuno1au]

aww poor WP users, always losing out. Let's all be sad. Sadly 3% global market share is peanuts and no one should bother, unless MS the creator of the app economy gets a a sudden jolt of genius and actually attracts developers... Little incentive, and you can't argue with that logic, no matter what.

Yeah, except that they don't really lose out unless a company is doing something like Whatsapp.

 

Most games are available in one form or another, with the only real notable entries missing being candy crush and... that's about it.

 

3% of the market is by no means peanuts. Microsoft managed to pull that despite ######ing up repeatedly. That 3% could readily turn into 5% in another 2 years..

[Ryoken]

Snapchat isn't blocking "Windows Phone Users"

They are blocking people using an unauthorized 3rd party service.

 

Also 3% (not 4) might be millions of users, but how many of them are using Snapchat? So yes, they CAN turn their backs on them, with ease. And it's their choice to do so. But making this out as some vendetta against WP when it's them securing their service is silly.

 

Also, for the record, I have no dislike of WP. I've played with it a little, I prefer it to most every Android device I've used. But I'm looking at the numbers. And you can talk all you want about how it's gonna clime in the future, here, today, it's nothing. Demanding support for 3% is like IE6 users demanding support on websites.. (0.1% of all browsers is still far more people to support than the 3% of WP). Fact is, the numbers WP has now, it's not worth Snapchat paying a dev to do anything about it.

 

And no, some 3rd party offering to do xyz doesn't cut it, If Snapchat has no interest is opening their platform, then they aren't going to do it. For anyone. Given the recent issues, I can't blame them for locking it down, and I don't blame them for potentially alienating a Very small % of their consumer base in the process.

[remixedcat]

Nope, the APIs aren't available.

 

 

:( That sucks because that's the main thing that keeps me on android.

[1337ish]

Also 3% (not 4) might be millions of users, but how many of them are using Snapchat? 

 

None because there is no official app.... I suspect a lot have snapchat accounts though from when they used other platforms, I do...

[HawkMan]

The thing is though, the majority of people use Windows as an operating system.

Yes, I get it, Windows Phone isn't worth developing for... but it will be.  The more Windows and Windows Phone / Windows RT get integrated, the more useful it will become.

 

My bank doesn't have a banking app for WP.  Android yes, iOS, yes, WP, no.  "There are no plans to develop a Windows Phone app".  But in the end, they will develop one.

 

Same with snapchat.

It's on the downward turn now anyway, like Candy Crush and others. I feel consumers are just waiting for the next big app to have.

 

your bank probably has a mobile web bank that works better than the app anyway.

[George P Global Moderator]

aww poor WP users, always losing out. Let's all be sad. Sadly 3% global market share is peanuts and no one should bother, unless MS the creator of the app economy gets a a sudden jolt of genius and actually attracts developers... Little incentive, and you can't argue with that logic, no matter what.

There's little logic to it, it's just a personal choice. There are a number of developers on WP who have been and are successful, so that 3% you like to toss out as being peanuts, in the overall smartphone market translates into a big chunk of users, this is a fact but something people need to take into account and not just the percentages. The raw unit sold numbers are the important ones here.

[Studio384]

MS has had a mobile OS for how long now? And what % of the market is it again? Ya, no one is taking that bet. I doubt even MS thinks it will be a serious contender, at least not any time in the foreseeable future.

 

 

As for Snapchat. They are actually doing the right thing. They don't need to make an app for everything to detect a 3rd party logging in with your credentials and stopping it. Sucks that they don't have their own app, but you chose to use the service knowing that, and they chose to not allow 3rd Party access. Make your choice. Personally, I'm with them, security trumps the few people this will alienate. You're lucky they even let you back in. Many other services out there that don't allow 3rd party access would have banned the account and you'd be waiting days to get access again, if ever.

It doesn't matter how long Microsoft has been in the market, what matters is the fact that they are saying "f*ck off" to over 50 million Windows Phone users. In Europe, WP has a nice share, with 24 countries already beeing second, before iOS. You don't seem to have a Windows Phone device, so please, you have no point in this conversation go play with your Android/iOS device, but here, Windows Phone users like to have a normal discussion.