Snapchat Clones Disappear From Windows Phone, Real Version Coming?

Snapchat is starting to crack down on third-party apps, after the SnapSaved incident where thousands of photos were leaked onto the internet.

Windows Phone has been the first targeted, with Snapchat removing almost all third-party apps using its API. Snapchat is legally allowed to push for removal, due to the API not being publicly usable and Snapchat never partnering with any of the third-party apps.

The removal of all Snapchat-like apps does leave a hole in the marketplace, one Snapchat could fill if it was interested in Windows Phone. The mobile OS holds 3 percent of the market, and even less in the U.S. where Snapchat is most popular, making it a hard platform to support.

Snapchat is not the first mobile company to not work on Windows Phone, it took Instagram and Twitter an age to bring a port for Windows Phone, and newer apps are making even less of an effort with the third place mobile platform.

Even though SnapSaved is not connected with the Snapchat team, many blamed Snapchat for the leak of photos. Ever since, Snapchat has vowed to bring more security to the service.

It looks like instead of making all third-party apps delete photos shortly after, Snapchat will just ban all third parties that do not support certain features, a more conventional way of removing the issue.

Snapchat has not made any announcements of a Windows Phone app coming, but the removal of all third-party apps makes it seem like something is coming soon, especially since some removed apps were clones of the original app, not doing anything wrong.