Photo sharing app Instagram is rumoured to be working on adding voice and video calls, after new icons were found in the app’s Android Application Package (APK).
Instagram has been adding messaging-related features to its app since the social media platform’s Instagram Direct feature launched in 2013. The function has grown to become more robust since then by adding the ability to send text-based message, as well as incorporating similar photo-sharing features as Snapchat.
If the company adds these new calling features, it will put Instagram’s functionality on par with its parent company Facebook and competitor Snapchat.
Snapchat has featured video calling since 2014 and Facebook added audio calls to its platform in 2013, followed by video calls in 2015.
Both of these features were able to add depth to the social networking apps and it appears that Instagram is set to soon follow suit.
Instagram has added various features over the last few years to better compete with Snapchat. Back in 2016 Instagram launched its stories component which was viewed by many as a direct copy of many of Snapchat’s ‘Story’ feature.
This has slowed down some of Snapchat’s growth, but the company’s messaging features are still popular with younger users.
Source: TechCrunch
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