Snap to shut down app that made Zoom calls fun
Snap Camera, the desktop app from Snap that lets users apply silly filters on video calls, will be shut down on January 25. The app came into vogue during the pandemic when people started using the filters available on the app to spice up their Zoom or Skype calls. It is unclear why Snap has decided to abandon the app.
Why does this story matter?
Before we returned to the post-pandemic normalcy we are in now, there was a time when people found themselves in long video calls with nothing better to do than to stare at themselves. Snap Camera made staring at one's own reflection fun during conference calls. Its end is another reminder of how different life was during the pandemic.
The app won't be available for download or use
Snap made the announcement to shut down the desktop camera app on a support page. From January 25, the app will "no longer be available to download or use," said the company. To minimize the blow, Snap added that there are a wide array of lenses available on Snapchat for Web. However, we know that it is not quite the same.
The app allowed using filters while on video calls
Snap Camera made its debut in 2018. When it was introduced, it was aimed at Twitch streamers to help make their streams interesting. The app, available on both Windows and Mac, can be used with apps including Skype, Zoom, YouTube, and more. It allows users to switch between several filters (or Lenses in Snap lingo) while on a video call or a live stream.
Snap Camera is not as relevant as before
Snap has been on a cost-cutting path. The company laid off 20% of its staff, shuttered its drone product, and even announced the shutdown of its location-based social app Zenly. Considering all that, the company's decision to discontinue Snap Camera isn't entirely surprising. People returning to work and video call apps creating their own filters have made Snap Camera not as essential as before.
