Snapchat is secretly releasing a developer platform (and people are excited)

By Cella Lao Rousseau
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Snapchat on iPhone
Snapchat on iPhone (Image credit: iMore)
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Since Snapchat's launch, its developer has released everything from face filters to the ability to create your own geofilters and everything in between, but one thing people have been asking for for a while now? A developer platform.

This week it was announced (or leaked, rather) that Snapchat will be launching its first complete developer platform, and it's called Snapkit.

The platform's prototypes indicate it will let other apps offer a "login with Snapchat" options, use the Bitmoji avatars it acquired and host a version of Snap's full-featured camera software that can share back to Snapchat. Multiple sources confirm Snap Inc. is currently in talks with several app developers to integrate Snapkit. (Josh Constine, TechCrunch)

Along with the new developer platform, people will be able to "login with Snapchat":

Snapkit will allow users to sign up for new apps with their Snapchat developer credentials instead of creating brand new ones. As pointed out by TechCrunch's Josh Constine, one benefit to this is the ability to bring your Bitmoji avatar with you.

While Bitmoji has offered a keyboard full of your avatar in different scenes, Snapkit could make it easy to add yours as stickers on photos or in other ways in third-party apps. Seeing them across the mobile universe could inspire more users to create their own Bitmoji lookalike. (Josh Constine, TechCrunch)

It's worth noting that Snap Inc. has declined to comment on this new information, although multiple sources have confirmed that the company is in talks to integrate Snapkit with several different apps (though there's no word yet on which apps might be involved).

What do you think?

Are you excited for Snapkit? What are you potentially most excited about?

Let us know what you think in the comments down below!

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Cella Lao Rousseau
Cella Lao Rousseau

Cella writes for iMore on social and photography. She's a true crime enthusiast, bestselling horror author, lipstick collector, buzzkill, and Sicilian. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @hellorousseau

1 Comment
  • I'm very pleased about this announcement. I never understand what people like and don't like or why. My point being that I loved the new interface once I got adjusted to it and it bugs the **** out of me that they switched back due to the apparent controversy of the change. Even further, I still think Snapchat is one of the most innovative app experiences out there. However, I think they suffer from a lack of presence across the digital world and from being a bit too closed off. The changes expected to come with SNAPKIT seem to specially address those two things. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens once it's out.