Facebook acquired Instagram back in in April of 2012 for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock, but Facebook was never able to acquire the image messaging app Snapchat. Their $3 billion offer was turned down in 2013, and ever since then, it looks like Facebook has been in competition with Snapchat. And it looks like they may have finally hit on a brilliant idea, one that was originally created by Snapchat.
On Tuesday, Instagram introduced a new feature called Stories, reports the New York Times . This feature allows Instagram users to collect photos and videos they’ve taken during the day and share them all in a “story” that disappears after 24 hours. If you know anything about Snapchat, this feature should sound eerily identical to Snapchat’s Stories — because it basically is. Now, we’ll be seeing Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories competing against one another.
This is not the first time Instagram has launched a feature that closely resembles one that Snapchat already has. Instagram Direct, which was launched as a new feature in 2013 just after it was bought by Facebook, allows you to send photos and videos to individual users privately — much like you can on Snapchat. The similarities between both Instagram/Snapchat Stories are pretty striking, but Snapchat has had their version since 2013.
In terms of the conceptual design, both features allow the Stories to be viewed as a row of small circles inside the app, you’re able to add stickers and/or draw on videos and photos you share, and the maximum time limit for viewing these Stories is 10 seconds. In an interview with TechCrunch , Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom basically confirmed that the inspiration came directly from Snapchat and that Snapchat deserves the credit .
“Facebook invented feed, LinkedIn took on feed, Twitter took on feed, Instagram took on feed, and they all feel very different now and they serve very different purposes. But no one looks down at someone for adopting something that is so obviously great for presenting a certain type of information.”
I love that Instagram’s CEO Kevin Systrom straight up was like “yeah, we’re copying Snapchat” https://t.co/KxDwMFxiVA #InstagramStories
— scott rising (@rising) August 2, 2016
Systrom also mentions features like filters and the fact that they first began with Instagram as well as hashtags being used outside of Twitter. Systrom basically says that it isn’t about who invented something first, but it’s about taking the best ideas that exist and using them to create better technology.
“Snapchat adopted face filters that existed elsewhere first, right?,” Systrom continued. “And slideshows existed in other places too. Flipagram was doing it for a while. So I think that’s the interesting part of the Valley. You can’t just recreate another product. But you can say ‘what’s really awesome about a format? And does it apply to our network?’”
Throughout the interview, the Instagram CEO did not mention Snapchat by name in reference to the new Instagram Stories feature, only referring to other companies as “competitors.” But it is also impossible to imagine that he isn’t referring to Snapchat in these instances. He does go on to compliment Snapchat as well as Facebook and Instagram.
It’s possible that Instagram could become more like Snapchat in that it inspires people to constantly upload videos and photos of their everyday life even more than they are now. But for Systrom, it’s all about moving forward.
“The question is what do you do with that format? What do you do with that idea? Do you build on it? Do you add new things? Are you trying to bring it in a new direction?”
instagram’s new feature will keep old people from drinking from snapchat’s beloved fountain of youth https://t.co/Z7kODCAFXV
— MTV NEWS (@MTVNEWS) August 2, 2016
Instagram is getting a number of celebs to help promote their new Stories feature, including Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Ciara, Kevin Hart, Serena Williams, and more. Instagram’s Android and iOS apps will be updated with this new Instagram Stories section in the coming weeks.
Is this going to be good for Instagram, or bad?
[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]