Instagram is making a new app for photos to rival Snapchat: What we know
Last Updated: 2026-04-27 12:39:24
Instagram is working on a new app that apparently focuses on photos, and you might see the irony in all of it. Instagram, which started as a platform to host photos, now needs another app that does exactly that since the original app harbours short videos, comments, messages and even AI these days.
And like the previous features that you see on Instagram, this new app is also being pitched as a Snapchat rival, which means more features being cloned through its competition. This new app called Instants is being tested in select markets, and Meta has confirmed the plans for the platform via a report.
Latest and Popular Mobiles
Instagram making Instants: What it offers
Meta confirmed the news about Instants via TechCrunch and talked about its need and purpose in a crowded market. “To give people low-pressure ways to connect with friends, we're testing an app called Instants to share casual photos and videos in the moment. We're exploring multiple versions of Instants to see what people like, and will listen to our community,” the company was quoted saying.
Related Articles
So what does Instants offer that Instagram doesn’t?
It is a case of Meta going back to its routes and letting you capture a moment and share it with people for 24 hours after which it disappears. It sounds a lot like the first-gen Stories on Instagram but now available with a new app from the company. You cannot take a photo from the gallery and upload it for sharing.
Having said that, Instagram seems to be open about the idea of Instants available through the main app and also operating as a standalone app in some regions. Since the content will be available on Instagram and Instants it makes a lot of sense for the platform to cross-sync it so that more people try out the feature without needing to download another app just for the quick photo disappear option.
Instants is not available on Apple or Google app stores at the time of writing for the Indian region but we expect the new app to be listed for other markets in the coming months.