9781422277317

Tech 2.0

ever are shared, celebrated, and then abandoned as users move on to the next moment. Snapchat capitalized on its uniqueness by launching as a mobile-first company. By comparison, many developing nations skipped a traditional, wired landline, and jumped immediately into relying on smartphones and mobile technology. Snapchat

moved along a similar path. The app went directly to its users, delivering an experience that came straight to their hands and pockets, instead of a computer screen. Rather than moving to mobile, as nearly every compa- ny before had to do, Snapchat has always been a mobile app. And what was the con- nection that made Snapchat so easy to use? The answer was in the smartphone cam- era. While cameras used to be a “bonus” feature of early-

Snapchat has never forgotten its roots in mobile communications.

generation mobile phones, now phones are sold and marketed based on the quality of their cameras. With quality smartphone cameras being used to capture everything from beautiful sun- sets to restaurant meals, they serve as a natural path to a social

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