Today one of my favorite iPhone apps updated to version 1.7. That app was Instagram. I’ve been a fan of the simple photo-sharing app that allows you add a simple filter and share it with the Instagram community and your social graph for a while and with the new features it just secured its place as the new twitter. For me at least.
New in version Instagram version 1.7 are the following:
– Grid View for Profile Pages
– Optional Bio Field in Profiles
– Manage which push notifications you receive (on Edit Profile screen)
– Choose Profile Picture from Facebook & Twitter
– Stability Improvements for iOS 4.1
– Bug Fixes & Speed Improvements for Older Phones
Why is Instagram the new Twitter? For a few reasons. Instagram started as only supporting one mobile platform, the iPhone but via their newly announced API have allowed developers to create a desktop app and other mobile mashups such as Pic A Fight, the same way Twitter started. Also Instagram has connected me in a new visual way with new friends and old ones. Now I can not only have a conversation but see what my friends are seeing and have conversations about what they experiencing. If you’re looking for the whole follower numbers race, #hashtag support and with version 1.7 profile pages, Instagram is more like Twitter but all within a mobile app. The saying on instagram is not follow me but “hey, check out my photos!”.
Maybe I’m thinking to closed minded comparing Instagram to twitter but the similarities are there. I read recently that the instagram team didn’t look at the app as a photo sharing app but as a media application or something like that. Looking at the big picture I can understand what they’re aming for. Not Twitter or even Facebook but something better based off of experiences of mobile content from their users. I believe Path has the same goal as well. When you think about it, photos is what help Facebook reach 500 million accounts. Good luck to both Path and Instagram.
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Will Instagram become the next big mobile social network or just one awesome photo sharing app?