Instagram adds new features to take on Snapchat

[Priyanka]

Facebook's Instagram added new features allowing users to exchange messages in private and group conversations as the photo and video-sharing service aims to keep up with growing messaging service Snapchat.

[sonia sharma]

Snapchat, which is popular partly because messages on its platform disappear after a few seconds, already offered a variety of picture and video formats. Earlier this year, Snapchat upgraded its service so users could exchange text messages in response to photos and videos.

[sangeetanegi]

The new features mean Instagram users can share pictures directly with one friend or a group of people and send back text responses or pictures.

[Mohit Rana]

Instagram has consistently competed with Snapchat, often mimicking or adopting features popularized by the latter. Instagram has introduced several features to rival Snapchat's offerings. Here are some potential features Instagram might have added or enhanced to take on Snapchat:

1. Stories: Instagram initially introduced Stories, a feature strikingly similar to Snapchat's disappearing photo and video posts. Since then, they have continually enhanced this feature with stickers, filters, polls, and other interactive elements.
2. Filters and Lenses: Instagram has been expanding its library of augmented reality (AR) filters and lenses, allowing users to enhance their photos and videos with playful and creative effects similar to Snapchat's.
3. Direct Messaging: Instagram Direct, the platform's messaging feature, has likely seen updates to compete with Snapchat's chat functionality. This includes enhancements such as disappearing messages and the ability to send photos and videos that vanish after being viewed.
4. Reels: In response to the popularity of Snapchat's short video format, Instagram introduced Reels, allowing users to create and share short, entertaining videos set to music.
5. Explore Tab: Instagram's Explore tab may have been improved to feature more personalized content recommendations, including trending posts, accounts to follow, and topic-based collections, similar to Snapchat's Discover section.
6. Shopping Integration: Instagram has been increasingly integrating e-commerce features, allowing users to shop directly from the app. This could include features like product tagging in posts, shopping stickers in Stories, and a dedicated shopping tab on the platform.
7. Geolocation and Geofilters: Instagram likely enhanced its location-based features, allowing users to tag their posts with specific locations and use geofilters to add context and personalization to their content, similar to Snapchat's geolocation features.
8. Safety and Privacy Tools: Instagram may have introduced new tools and controls to enhance user safety and privacy, including options to manage who can view their content, block or report abusive users, and control data sharing preferences.