Anyone installing the latest Instagram update will be able to make full use of two brand new features. The first is live streaming, which allows you to broadcast simply by hitting the Start Live Video button when on the camera menu. The other allows for "disappearing" images to be exchanged over Instagram Direct, reminiscent of the format that Snapchat made successful.
The live feed can be shared immediately for up to an hour, at which point it expires for good. Followers will be notified by the word "Live" underneath their Instagram Stories picture on the main feed, or can subscribe to notifications for someone they follow going live. In the words of Instagram, "[users] can feel more comfortable sharing anything, anytime."
The second feature being added to Instagram Direct is likely to be inspired by the successful format of Snapchat, as well as the sheer volume of users of Direct having almost quadrupled recently, from 80 million to 300 million per month. Much like Snapchat, images will be deleted once read, and users will be notified if their recipient replayed the photo or took a screenshot of it.
Does yet another large social media outlet turning to instant photo-messaging tell us that the media we share is becoming more disposable than ever?
[via It's Nice That]
