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Instagram has once again mirrored a popular social media feature, this time taking a page from Snapchat’s book. After adopting the Stories feature in 2016 and borrowing the real-time photo concept from BeReal with Notes and candid shots, Meta is back with a new app dedicated to ephemeral sharing called Instants. The app’s tagline is “Real life in a flash,” though its level of originality might be seen as minimal.
How Does Instants Work?
Instants opens straight to the camera interface. You cannot access a gallery, import images, apply filters, or make edits. The only modification allowed is adding text over the image. You snap your photo, send it to your followers or a select group of close friends, and the content is viewable just once for 24 hours. If no one opens it, it vanishes anyway.
The app is currently available on iOS and Android, but only in Spain and Italy at the moment. There are no confirmed release dates for France or other markets. An Instagram spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that multiple versions are being tested simultaneously. The product is still in its experimental phase.
To use it, you need an Instagram account. Your contacts remain the same. And Meta offers the choice to receive and view these fleeting messages either in the Instants app or directly within Instagram.
A Separate App for an Already Existing Feature?
This feature is not new to Instagram. It previously existed under the name Shots, later renamed Instants, but was embedded within the app’s messaging service. Meta has decided to spin off a feature from its core product into a standalone service.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has been promoting the value of authenticity for months. Yet, the main Instagram feed tells a different story. It’s filled with ubiquitous ads, aggressively pushed sponsored content, and an algorithm that buries friend’s posts under Reels from strangers.
Too Late to Catch Up to Snapchat?
Snapchat has been doing this since 2011. BeReal captured its audience in 2022. Instagram is entering the scene in 2026 with the same formula, fifteen years after the former and four years after the latter. Meta’s strength lies in its user base (over two billion on Instagram). If Instants is integrated natively and offered universally, the sheer volume might make up for the delay.
Yet, it remains to be seen if users are willing to install yet another app to do something Snapchat already does quite well.
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Samantha Klein is a seasoned tech journalist with a sharp focus on Apple and mobile ecosystems. With over a decade of experience, she brings insightful commentary and deep technical understanding to the fast-evolving world of consumer technology.