Snap announced today a Snapchat app designed specifically for Apple Watch. Users will now be able to see and respond to their conversations directly from their wrists.

What features are offered?

The new Snapchat app supports the Apple Watch’s built-in keyboard, Scribble, and dictation features. Users will be able to respond to messages with these methods. The app also offers the ability to send emojis, like other Apple Watch messaging apps.

Snap has expressed its commitment to making Snapchat available on all devices users own. This approach also includes wearable devices like the Apple Watch.

It has been quite rare for major companies to release an Apple Watch app recently. Many major companies have pulled out of the Apple Watch because the platform has proven unpopular.

Big names like Slack, Facebook Messenger, Uber, and Lyft used to have apps on the Apple Watch. However, these companies discontinued their apps after finding that the development resources were not worth the effort.

Snapchat’s entry into the Apple Watch shows that the platform can still be valuable in some usage scenarios. For Snapchat, which has a young user base in particular, the feature of instant messaging from smartwatches may make sense.

The Apple Watch’s place in the messaging ecosystem is based on users being able to communicate quickly without touching their phones. Snapchat’s entry into this area means testing the platform in different usage areas.

The shrinking Apple Watch app market reveals that the platform failed to meet the initial high expectations. When the Apple Watch was released in 2015, many developers quickly ported their apps to the smartwatch. However, user behavior showed that they preferred quick notifications and simple interactions over complex operations on the small screen.

Snapchat’s decision to invest in the Apple Watch can be explained by the technology habits of the company’s young user base. Users between the ages of 16-25 in particular use wearable technologies more actively and tend to stay connected all the time. For this demographic group, messaging from smartwatches has become a natural need.

The future of the Apple Watch platform will depend on the success of major applications like Snapchat. If users actively use such apps, other companies may reconsider the platform. However, past experience suggests that the Apple Watch may be more successful in niche use cases. The results of Snapchat’s move will provide important clues for the platform’s long-term strategy.