Snapchat Launches Development Platform SnapKit For Third-Party Developers

• After years of being a closed platform, Snapchat is releasing a development platform to allow third-party developers create stories, bitmojis and other content for the app.
• The SnapKit is a collection of APIs that are now available to third-party developers to access and create SnapChat features.
• The social messaging app promised that despite allowing access to third-party developers, privacy is high on their radar and user data will not be handed to any third-parties.

After years of being a very closed platform with no third-party integration, messaging app Snapchat is finally opening up to third-party developers. The messaging platform released multiple APIs today as part of its SnapKit package to help developers implement Snapchat features in third-party apps. Some of the apps that have already partnered with Snapchat include Tinder, Pandora, Giphy and more.

SnapKit’s most important feature is the Login API known as Login Kit. Developers can use Snapchat as a login method similar to how Google and Facebook APIs are known for their login integration with thousands of available apps. Snapchat is also allowing Bitmoji and Story integration outside of the messaging app. Third-party apps can allow users access to both of the iconic features from Snapchat into their apps and even develop their stickers for the Snapchat Camera using the Creative Kit.

Image Courtesy of Snapchat

Snapchat has reassured users that user information will not be handed out to third parties and privacy is one of the things the messaging app is focusing on when implementing SnapKit. Any app with login integration that is not used for 90 days will automatically log Snapchat users out of the app, and all third-party apps that make use of the SnapKit will have to adhere to the messaging platform’s strict privacy policies. Information like friends lists and messages will not be made accessible to third-parties and will continue to be stored on Snapchat’s encrypted servers only.

Snapchat has been losing out on users due to decisions that have adversely affected the app’s engagement. With a controversial redesign that enraged millions of users and heightened privacy-consciousness among users following multiple social media scandals and data leaks, Snapchat will have to up its user-satisfaction levels to bring its engagement levels back to its glory days.