The ability to keep Snapchat’s elusive disappearing images around for long has been sought after since the app was first launch, prompting the creation of a number of questionable third-party apps. This week, Google has taken action by removing all but a few third-party Snapchat Apps from its Google Play store.
According to Android users, there used to be dozens of apps aimed as surreptitiously keeping Snapchat images after their expiry date, but now only a few of them remain after the latest purge by Google. As yet, Google haven’t given any comment as to why all these apps have suddenly been made unavailable to Android users. Reportedly, the creators of the missing apps each received a notice from the Google stating that they were in violation of the developer agreement.
Speculation surrounding the sudden removal of these apps points towards the fact that Snapchat has had several problems with its security lately and is attempting to keep its service as safe as possible for users. Considering most of the removed apps were designed specifically to hack and undermine Snapchat’s basic functions, it is not implausible that the social media app requested they be removed from the Google Play store.