Summary in 10 SecondsInstants is a separate application that Instagram is testing for temporary photo and short video sharing. Shares can only be viewed once and disappear after 24 hours. The app is currently being tested for iOS and Android in Italy and Spain. Cannot upload from camera roll; The content is shot directly with the app camera. Instagram is testing a separate app called Instants that will make photo sharing faster and more ephemeral again.
The application is currently available in Italy and Spain, but the global release date has not yet been determined. The difference of Instants is that it keeps the content as “in the moment” as possible. Users can take photos or short videos with the camera in the application, the post can be viewed only once and disappears after 24 hours. Instagram is trying the Instants application for temporary sharing. Unlike the classic Instagram experience, Instants does not contain edited, filtered or post-selected content; focuses directly on snapshots captured and shared.
In the application, users can take photos with a single touch. There is no option to upload content from the camera roll. Text can be added to the captured images, but other than that, no comprehensive editing tool is offered. This structure clearly distinguishes Instants from the main Instagram feed. Instagram has long been collecting different usage styles such as Stories, Reels, Direct Messages and close friends list in the same application.
This time, Instants stands out with a simpler experience that focuses on a single purpose: shoot, send, be viewed once and disappear. Shares are not for everyone. Shares made through Instants do not fall into a public flow. Users can share these contents with people they follow or with their Close Friends list. These lists work in sync with the main Instagram app; That is, users do not need to set up a separate friend list.
This preference shows that the application is positioned as a more closed and low-pressure sharing area. For users who do not want to share permanent posts on Instagram or be seen by a wide audience, Instants focuses on sending content to a narrower circle, faster. Is it a single application or a feature within Instagram? One of the striking points for Instants is that the feature is not only within the main Instagram application.
Instagram is working on a structure where users can use Instants through the standard Instagram application or with the standalone Instants application. The company tests different versions to measure which experience users adopt more. Therefore, the final form of Instants is not yet finalized. It has not been announced yet when the application will be rolled out to other countries, whether it will remain a standalone application after the current testing period, and how it will be integrated into the main Instagram experience.
An experience close to the lines of Snapchat and BeReal. The structure of Instants reminds us of applications such as Snapchat, BeReal and Locket, with its temporary and less regulated sharing logic. However, here the Instagram account and existing follow relationships are centered. Thus, users can switch to a faster sharing area with their existing Instagram circle instead of creating a new social graph. It is not clear when the application will be available in Turkey.
What is clear at this stage is that Instagram does not want to leave photo sharing only within the crowded structure of the main application. Instants is positioned as a separate testing ground for users who want to send faster and temporary content to a smaller circle.
Comments
You can write your views about this story. Comments may be moderated according to site settings.