Snapchat unbanning accounts

[tgp]

I know, you will say that a lot more people on WP would use it. I doubt the number of WP snapchat users would be more than 100,000, and I seriously doubt the number of people that take actions while using snapchat will actually generate revenue for the company.

We don't always see eye to eye :wink:, but I agree with your entire post. One thing about Snapchat user numbers though: last summer Snapchat reported 100 million active monthly users. If you use WP's worldwide market share of 3%, that would make 3 million WP Snapchat users. I'm not sure how that number holds out in real life though.

I'm sorry but are you attempting to justify for Snapchat why they won't support us and why do you assume those that do the work of God's people are able to do this without money? Beyond that, my only point is smaller companies can do it, why not the devs at Snapchat. They are not supporting the people they claim to love so much. They are not supporting us. They simply are not.

What he's saying is basically that the Bible app developers are non profit, with a goal of reaching as many people as possible. Their goal is not to make a profit. If it costs $100,000 to reach 2 billion users, another $100,000 to reach 900 million more, and another $100,000 to reach the last 50 million, they will do it (provided the funds are available). A for profit business would not if they felt the ROI wan't there.

 

[rhapdog]

I'm sorry but are you attempting to justify for Snapchat why they won't support us and why do you assume those that do the work of God's people are able to do this without money? Beyond that, my only point is smaller companies can do it, why not the devs at Snapchat. They are not supporting the people they claim to love so much. They are not supporting us. They simply are not.

What he's saying is basically that the Bible app developers are non profit, with a goal of reaching as many people as possible. Their goal is not to make a profit. If it costs $100,000 to reach 2 billion users, another $100,000 to reach 900 million more, and another $100,000 to reach the last 50 million, they will do it (provided the funds are available). A for profit business would not if they felt the ROI wan't there.

Thanks, tgp. Couldn't have explained it better myself.

 

[Jazmac]

For tgp and rhapdog, I don't agree but I do want to give you both props for disagreeing without being disagreeable in the process. This is why I continue to come here and that is to share and learn from in this ecosystem. I owe you both a beer next time you come to Vegas. You both missed my main point but I owe you both a cold one.

 

[tgp]

You both missed my main point but I owe you both a cold one.

I don't drink, but a cold Diet Coke is always welcome!

 

[rhapdog]

For tgp and rhapdog, I don't agree but I do want to give you both props for disagreeing without being disagreeable in the process. This is why I continue to come here and that is to share and learn from in this ecosystem. I owe you both a beer next time you come to Vegas. You both missed my main point but I owe you both a cold one.

Jazmac, nobody ever agrees with anybody on 100% of every issue. I'd rather have a discussion on an issue. I despise having arguments. I like discussions. That is why I have participated in this discussion, but avoid some of the posted topics on this site. Thank you for adding meaningful discussion to these forums. While I won't always see eye-to-eye with you, I'm sure we will see eye-to-eye at times. Unless you don't like cheese. I'm not sure if people who don't like cheese can be trusted. (Yeah, the cheese part is a cheesy joke. Sorry about that, it's my nature.)

Well, like tgp, I don't do the beer. My choice is coffee... Man, I love me some coffee. Or sweet iced tea.

If I'm ever out there, though, I'll have to look you up and perhaps we can share a pizza. Everybody has to love pizza.

I think I did get your point, though. You were saying a company should not be allowed to say they care about people if they don't show it. Clearly, snapchat has a rather hypocritical stance. They say one thing, and do another.

I do indeed believe the right thing for them to do would be to create a WP app. I think every single company that wants business from customers need to be making a Windows Phone app right along side every blasted Android and iOS app.

For example, I have a bluetooth headset that I purchased from Plantronics. The Plantronics Voyager Legend. Awesome piece of technology, and outperforms every other Bluetooth headset on the market... but, if I want to make configuration changes, I have to find a PC with XP installed to be able to run their headset updater software, because even though they say it works with Vista, 7, 8, and 8.1, it doesn't. This has been repeatedly reported by numerous users to them over and over again. They ignore it. They say their programmer tested it, stated it works, therefore it works. I demanded another option to update the headset to configure it, so they told me I could use the Android or iPhone app to do so. I let them know if they couldn't be bothered to make a Windows Phone app, then I can't be bothered to replace my headset with another Plantronics when I make a new purchase next month. I let them know that I would express my displeasure with my wallet.

Now I'm looking at what other companies have come up with, because I do need a replacement. My current 3 year old headset is now being held together with electrical tape until I can get an alternative. It will have to be something compatible with WP and with a WP app. I did a nice tape job. You can't even see it on the black headset. I figure I've got about another 30-45 days minimum before I'll be forced to make a purchase, so that should give plenty of time to research properly.

Snapchat does need to wake up, though. They will regret their actions in the long run. Windows 10 will eventually make Windows Phones much more popular, especially the way Samsung has been stumbling lately. Other companies are now putting out applications like Snapchat, but that will disable the ability to take a screenshot on the receiving phone. These are being marketed to corporate users instead of teenagers, and offer a much better degree of security instead of the "feel good about it" that you get with Snapchat. When these corporate people start using those new programs, and they start bringing those programs into their personal lives, it will filter to their families, which will cause it to filter to the teens, which will cause Snapchat to be displaced because they can't match the security of these superior services.

Snapchat has made multiple management level decisions that are simply not good for the company. Windows Phone being one of them, and lack of security being another. The hack a little while back showed just how bad their security has been, as all that was stolen was never supposed to be stored to begin with. Can you say "not good for user trust?" The only reason people still use snapchat is because all their friends use it. I believe if the trust issues were explained to those friends, then all those friends could find a better alternative fairly quickly, because there are numerous ones out there.

Again, my opinion, and my opinion may not always be the most insightful, but I do try to use a minimum of 2 brain cells when arriving at an opinion, which makes it better than most, I believe. (Also my opinion.)

Oh, man... I can really get carried away sometimes with these really, really, really long posts. (see what I did there, made it longer by saying "really" three times, then explained how I made it longer which made it even longer.)

---------------
Rhapdog - Master of the extraordinarily long post.

 

[Jazmac]

That was a long post man but I read it all just in case there would be a "pop" quiz at the end. Bottom line to it all though, I think they at Snapchat should extend the love for a popular app with the people they claim to serve.

Even if they don't have those resources, which btw I don't at all believe for a second, they should at least allow our devs to develop for the platform, as we have done, so we could participate with our friends on IOS and android. I'm not saying allow all developers on this platform go in, just allow the one we have. Hell he built the app and it works. They decided they would punish our kids with a Gestapo-like move to outright ban our accounts to the site entirely. Seriously?

Now, I've never heard about any security issues from Windows Phone and snapchat as Window Phone is more secure than all of android. Only thing I got was they don't want to include users that own and prefer to use Windows Phone. I'm saying to snapchat, build for Windows Phone or don't build for any platform. This isolationist position and is the worse move of all for this startup. That is my point and my beef with isolationist developers like google and snapchat.

So, dark roast on me. I'm a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf fan myself.

 

[rhapdog]

I think what Snapchat really should have done, if they were smart, was to get the developer of 6snap to sign a non-disclosure agreement, give him the requirements of what they need Snapchat to be, give him their API (after non-disclosure signed, of course), and have him develop the official Snapchat in exchange for a small percentage of profits that the WP app generates without any actual up-front payment.

I think this would have been an amicable agreement all around. Snapchat would not have spent resources, yet would have gained an audience on their own terms as if they had hired a team to handle it, without the expense of the team. Giving up a small percentage of profits that would have gone to a platform that they otherwise would have received nothing from would have been a win-win-win situation. Win for Rudy, Snapchat, and WP users.

Of course, that would mean Rudy would have to agree. While I think he might, I can't speak for him.

Perhaps instead of harping on Snapchat to get an app developed, perhaps someone could speak to Rudy to see if he would be willing to do this, then speak to Snapchat and offer this solution.

Perhaps if someone can explain in a good way to the folks at Snapchat how that could impact their bottom line without hurting their bottom line, it might help the situation more than petitions.

 

[tgp]

OK, since this is all conjecture anyways, let me throw in my 2? (seriously, it's not even worth that much! :smile: ):

From what I understand, Snapchat banned all 3rd party apps because of a security breach through a 3rd party app. This move did not affect only WP. Android (and I'm assuming iOS) also had 3rd party apps. They were blocked as well. The glaring difference is that WP has no official Snapchat app, effectively turning out the lights for WP users.

I don't fault Snapchat for making the move. Security breaches are a hot topic these days, and companies must take drastic measures to address them, even if it's more blowing smoke to appease the public than anything. The general public is probably reassured by the report that Snapchat blocked all 3rd party apps, allowing only official ones.

Why isn't Snapchat facilitating WP? They had nothing to lose and everything to gain by allowing 3rd party devs to provide the service. That is, until the security breach took place. Maybe an app like 6snap would need to be upgraded to provide the necessary security measures, but to do it would be too much effort for the value.

I don't know why Snapchat would have anything against WP. I can understand if the reason that Google doesn't provide apps is for the sole purpose of crippling the platform, since Microsoft and Google are direct competitors. But Snapchat is competing with no platform. In fact, their very existence is reliant on them. The more users they acquire, the better. It shouldn't make them any difference whether the users come from iOS, Windows Phone, Android, Tizen, WebOS, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Ubuntu Touch, Sailfish, NewCoolMobilePlatform2015, or any other mobile OS.

So why isn't Snapchat facilitation WP? In my mind, it boils down to lack of ROI. I believe Snapchat is doing what they feel is the best for the bottom line. Remember, we're all armchair CEOs! :grin:

 

[rhapdog]

tgp, while I agree with what you're saying about ROI, and have even said it myself, I think the solution I gave in my previous post (the one immediately above yours) outlines a solution where Snapchat WOULD have a beneficial ROI. (For those of you following that get confused by acronyms, that's Return On Investment, ROI.)

Snapchat should reach out and talk to our 6snap creator to create the official app that would satisfy all requirements, using the terms I mentioned in my post above. With no investment other than a short talk and a signed contract, they have a lot to gain with nothing to lose. It would not make sense to do otherwise if Rudy would agree to such a solution. The only reason not to do so is if they have signed some sort of underhanded deal with Apple and/or Google to try to squeeze out WP.