Instagram is still sticking it to Snapchat and its latest update does a better job than ever of integrating interpersonal communication through Instagram Direct. The new version of the app now combines disappearing posts with private conversations in your inbox – which is exactly what made Snapchat famous and has now been seamlessly incorporated into the picture app owned by Facebook. Disappearing chats based on small videos and pics are now a reality on Instagram.
When Instagram Direct arrived, the way disappearing posts worked was quite different from what we’d seen up to that point in Snapchat and was separate from the private messaging functionality. While you could send Stories privately, it worked a bit differently. But no longer is this the case since the conversations are now more integrated than ever.
The color blue indicates the presence of disappearing media messages, which will now pop up in the timeline of a private chat with a friend. They appear as something like links that, when tapped, take you to a picture or post. The media then disappears, though its trace will remain in the chat history. Plus you can send disappearing content from the chat window itself by tapping the new integrated blue camera.
This change that may quite possibly prove to be the death knell for Snapchat was prompted, according to Instagram, by the needs of its large – and still growing – community of Instagrammers. According to Techcrunch, their numbers have now topped 375 million, a linear growth that shows no signs of flagging. It remains to be seen if Snapchat will do anything about it or if Instagram will take the whole cake. Plus, as if that weren’t enough, they’re still added new features to their stickers and now you can create stickers with your own selfies, among other novelties.
More info | Instagram Blog
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