Tag: Instagram

Instagram launches new ‘Threads’ messaging app for close friends

Instagram has announced a new standalone app called Threads, a messaging app designed to be used among close friends. The app allows users to share to quickly share photos, text, and videos with people they’ve added to their ‘close friends’ list.

The main component of the app is the camera, which is the default screen when you open the app. That said, it doesn’t get the bells and whistles of Instagram stories as there are no filters in the selfie mode. As soon as you open Threads, you’re directly taken to the camera so you can quickly share photos and videos with people on your close friends’ list.

“Threads is a standalone app designed with privacy, speed, and your close connections in mind. You can share photos, videos, messages, Stories, and more with your Instagram close friends list. You are in control of who can reach you on Threads, and you can customize the experience around the people who matter most,’ explained In Instagram in a blog post on Thursday.

Ability to set auto-status

The app also offers the ability to set a status message, or an auto status. Users can set their own status message as an emoji, while the auto status “automatically shares little bits of context on your whereabouts without giving away your coordinates.” For example, it could show when you’re at home, gym, at a cafe, or driving in a car. Though it doesn’t reveal the exact address or the name of the place you’re at to protect your privacy.

Instagram also mentioned that despite the availability of Threads, users can continue using Instagram Direct as they normally would, as messages from your close friends’ list will appear in both Threads and Direct, so users have full control over how and with whom they’d want to interact. Threads, also a direct competitor to Snapchat, is rolling out today globally on iOS and Android.

October 3, 2019
Facebook plans to rename Instagram and WhatsApp

Both WhatsApp and Instagram are essentially household names around the world. With such popularity, one would assume that renaming both these brands would be simply pointless and downright crazy. Though, it appears that’s exactly what Facebook has in mind.

The company confirmed on Friday about it plans to rename WhatsApp and Instagram. Facebook essentially plans to add its own name to these apps. Hence, from now on, WhatsApp will be known as ‘WhatsApp from Facebook’ and similarly, Instagram will be called ‘Instagram from Facebook’.

The whole point behind the name change is that Facebook wants people to know who’s the boss, as it owns both Instrgram and WhatsApp. Sources indicate that the new name will be displayed only on the app stgore pages on both iOS and Android. The name change will also be visible on the login pages.

“We want to be clearer about the products and services that are part of Facebook”. said Facebook.

To recall, Facebook bought Instagram back in 2012 followed by WhatsApp in 2014.Since then, Facebook has allowed to them function as seperate entities, with their own namagers, employees, and different work places.

In the past few years, even Facebook has acquired a lot of features from Instagram For instance, Intagram. stories, a feature inspired by Snpachat, was added to WhatsApp as Status and on Facebook as stories. However, Facebook has also been slammed over data privacy and security concerns over the past few years. For now, Instagram and WhatsApp are not affected by these privacy issues, and we hope it stays the same.

August 3, 2019
Instagram adds voice messaging to Direct Messages

After rolling out Close Friends, Instagram has added a new voice messaging feature to DMs. As the name suggests, the feature allows users to send and receive 1 minute long audio messages in private as well as group chats. The feature is now rolling out globally for iOS and Android devices.

“Starting today, you can send voice messages in Direct. Talk the way you want to be heard, whether by whispering what you’re up to or shouting a compliment,” said Instagram on Twitter.

To use the voice messaging feature in DMs, just hold down the microphone button and record your audio message. The message is sent automatically as soon as you release the microphone button. Besides, you also get the option to cancel or re-record the message by sliding your finger over to the trash icon. The message will be automatically deleted if you do so.

Instagram may be a little late to implement voice messaging to DMs, as Facebook users have been enjoying the feature for years now. That said, the addition of voice-messaging will certainly appeal Instagram users, given the rising popularity of voice-messaging on platforms such as WhatsApp and WeChat.

Besides, it’ll also appeal to users who aren’t really comfortable typing messages, giving them the option to talk instead of typing.

Instagram has announced several changes to its network this year. The company has already announced its plans to introduce a redesigned user profile page. Last month, the Facebook-owned social network rolled out a new feature called Close Friends. Not to mention, Instagram is also taking stringent measures to crack down fake followers and likes on its platform.

December 11, 2018
Instagram rolls out a new feature called Close Friends

Instagram has announced a new feature called Close Friends, designed to give users a little more privacy on its social network. As the name suggests, the new feature allows users to share stories which they might consider private to just a select group of friends.

“Starting today, you can make a close friends list on Stories and share with just the people you’ve added. Instagram Stories has become the place to express yourself and share everyday moments, but our community has grown and sometimes what you want to share isn’t for everyone. With Close Friends, you have the flexibility to share more personal moments with a smaller group that you choose,” the company said in a press release.

Using the feature is relatively simple. To add friends you want in the list, just go to your profile and tap on “Close Friends” in the side menu. When you share Stories, you’ll get the option to share with just the people you’ve added on your Close Friends list.

Besides, you’ll have absolute control over the list, as no one can request you to add them. To know if you’re on someone’s Close Friends list, you’ll see a green circle around their photos in the Stories tray, or a green colored badge when you view their Stories.

That said, it appears the feature is only available for Stories, and not regular posts. Nevertheless, it’s a new feature that gives you more control over who can see your Stories on Instagram. Close Friends has started rolling out today globally on the latest version of the Instagram app on Android and iOS.

Instagram has been working on several changes to its platform. The company has already announced its plans to introduce a redesigned user profile page. Besides, the Facebook-owned social network has finally stepped up to crack down fake followers and likes.

November 30, 2018
Instagram working on a redesigned profile page

Instagram plans to introduce new changes to its platform, this time concerning a user’s profile page. The Facebook-owned social media platform has announced that users might soon see changes to icons and buttons, as well as navigation between tabs. That said, it isn’t as big a change compared to the recently introduced redesigned Explore tab, or changes in algorithmic feed.

Instagram said in a blog post that icons that users see above the grid displaying photos could change to words. However, the grid’s layout won’t change a bit. Once this change is implemented, a user’s profile could move to the right hand corner, while the username would moved to the top of the page in bigger fonts.

“Over the next several weeks, you may see features re-arranged at the top of your profile including changes to icons, buttons and the way you navigate between tabs, which we hope will make profiles easier and cleaner to use. The photos and videos you’ve shared on your grid won’t change,” Instagram explained in a blog post.

Besides, this change would reduce focus on follower counts as they’ll appear in a much smaller font and won’t show at the top. The ‘Message’ and ‘Follow’ buttons are placed next to each other, and users can see their mutual followers when they tap on the Following tab.

Not to mention, grids, texts, and tagged photos icons will show up as text. In addition, business accounts will get a new ‘Shop tab’ along with buttons such as Call and Start Order. You can see the potential changes coming to our profile in the photo below:

Potential changes arriving on your Instagram profile

Instagram has implemented several major changes to its platform in October and November. Earlier, the company introduced a new daily usage tracking dashboard called Your Activity.

Besides, it also introduced three new shopping features along with a new nametag feature, something similar to Snapchat’s Snap Codes. Instagram is working on making its platform more authentic instead of focusing on numbers.

The platform has finally stepped up to crack down fake followers and likes, and uses machine learning to tackle follows and likes from fake apps and accounts.

November 22, 2018