Instagram has announced a major new feature for their app: Instagram Stories. Stop us if you’ve heard this one before!
Yes, as the name implies, Instagram Stories is very similar to Snapchat Stories. In fact, it’s so similar that when you watch Instagram’s video announcing the new feature, you may think you’re looking at a Snapchat demo:
In a blog post, the Facebook-owned Instagram says they know there are times when you don’t want to cramp your friend’s feeds with a slew of photos in one day. Enter Instagram Stories, which lets you create a collection that expires after 24 hours (just like Snapchat’s).
I’d explain how Instagram Stories works, but I won’t waste my time. If you’ve used Snapchat’s, you already know exactly how it functions.
It’s easy to guess why Instagram has launched their own Stories feature: According to a recent study, Snapchat is the most popular app among teens and young adults, with Facebook coming in second and Instagram coming in third.
The biggest problem I see with Instagram Stories is moving people from Snapchat Stories over to Instagram’s clone. Does anyone really want to maintain two stories while they’re out on an adventure? No, you’ll want to pick one of the apps and stick with it. It’s hard enough to get all your photos out to the various social networks you use, and this won’t make it any easier.
Facebook once tried to purchase Snapchat and had launched their own ripoff called Poke. Both attempts at jumping onto the Snapchat hype train have failed.
Instagram says that the Stories feature will be rolling out over the next few weeks. If you can’t wait, just use Snapchat.
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