You might soon take a work call from Snapchat

Snapchat could take on a surprising new rival with their new web product.

Snapchat could take on a surprising new rival with their new web product.

Snapchat, which has only existed on smartphones for a decade, is making its play at online video conferencing with a desktop version.

The new website (web.snapchat.com) will have video calling options that The Oz understands they intend to target at people who are learning and working. On these video calls, users will soon be able to employ the iconic Snapchat Lenses.

What the new Snapchat video call for web looks like.

In the same vein of their disappearing story feature, the website includes a "unique privacy screen that hides the Snapchat window if you click away for another task". Web users will still be alerted when someone takes a screenshot of their chat or photo. 

The Snapchat mobile app meets 90% of 13 to 24-year-olds. CEO Evan Spiegel told The Oz in April they were growing their user base and staying relevant through lightheartedness and augmented reality. And now, on their desktop. 

It is understood the move to web comes as Gen Z, many of whom are at school and university, changed the way they worked and communicated during the pandemic. Young people shifted to using their computers more for schoolwork or paid work, communicating with friends and colleagues at the same time.

What the new Snapchat web chat looks like.

"We saw a huge opportunity to make it easier for our community to stay connected throughout their day," they said.

Snapchat said it allows users to "pick up their conversations right where they left off on mobile–but now from the big screen".

Ryan Thomas, who heads the Sydney engineering group who developed part of the web app, said about 100 million people are using Snapchat to make video calls.

Users are also staying on these call for about 30 minutes and talk to up to 15 people at a time.

"With over 100 million Snapchatters making calls to their friends on Snapchat every month, we knew this was a critical element to get right," Thomas said.

Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, is due to report its second quarter earnings this week. Shares of Snap have fallen 70% this year.

(Last week, Spiegel revealed the The Oz the biggest lessons he's learnt so far.)