Meta debuts Instants photo-sharing app

GaryPageau , , ,
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Instants disappear after they’re opened by someone and can’t be viewed after 24 hours

Meta continues to strive for relevance in the imaging app sharing market. This time, the company has introduced Instants, a photo-sharing app that allows private image sharing with only close friends. Photos shared via the app can’t be edited before sharing and disappear after 24 hours.

The iOS and Android apps enter an increasingly crowded marketplace for privacy-focused photo apps, like Snapchat. (Historically, Meta has copied Snapchat a few times in the past, with little success.)

Users capture an instant by tapping the mini pile of photos at the bottom right corner of their Instagram inbox or by opening the Instants app. From there, snap a photo in real time; uploads from a phone’s photo gallery are not permitted. Caption can be added, but no other edits can be made. Instants can be sent to Close Friends or to followers who follow back. Recipients can react with emojis, reply, and send instants. The instants you share will show up as a pile of photos in your friends’ inboxes and disappear once they’re viewed. Screenshots are not permitted.

Shared instants are saved in a private archive that can be seen for up to one year, which users can access in the top right corner of Instants.

 

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Gary Pageau is principal of InfoCircle LLC, continuing his marketing communications career. InfoCircle LLC is a marketing and communications consulting firm, specializing in business-to-business markets. For nearly 25 years, he was with PMA International, serving most recently as Publisher, Content Development and Strategic Initiatives. His primary responsibilities included overseeing the Association’s editorial department, marketing research unit, education and corporate relations department.