year runs out, and there are rumors that the photo-sharing
app may be adding a new feature: private messaging.
Om Malik of GigaOM writes that "well-placed sources" at
Instagram leaked details about the new update that should
be available to users before the end of this year. Since the
app's inception in 2010, it has generated more than 200
million users. If it's true that private messaging is a main
feature among those updates, that could be a game changer.
Users currently can comment and tag others in posts, but
it's all up for the public to see. That might deter some
action on the app for users who don't necessarily want their
families to see what they show their friends … or vice
versa.
Private picture and video messaging is a concept that
Snapchat has embraced and, so far, thrived on. The
company reportedly just turned down a $4 billion buyout
offer from Google and a $3 billion offer from Facebook.
The new feature is similar to a move Instagram made in
June of this year when the app added videos to its content
repertoire. Many speculated that would mean the downfall
of the popular video app Vine, but it appears to still be
going strong. That could allay some of the concerns for
Snapchat executives.
Private messaging, along with the video addition, show just
how much the app has evolved over the years. Instagram's
CEO Kevin Systrom once said the app would be the future
of photography with its filtering feature. But the social
aspect has played a more prominent role in how the app has
developed.
The next Instagram update should be coming in December
of this year. The company has so far declined to comment
on the rumors.
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