Instagram confirmed that it is s currently working on a new feature called Exclusive Stories. The images of the Stories offshoot have circulated online since June 21 after Alessandro Paluzzi, a software developer, shared the leak on Twitter.
Paluzzi said that they had found the references to the upcoming feature in Instagram’s codebase.
Instagram’s New Exclusive Stories Feature
On June 30, Instagram told TechCrunch that the screenshots shared by Paluzzi showcase an internal prototype that the company is working on behind the scenes.
However, Instagram did not reveal additional details about the upcoming feature, noting that it had nothing more to share.
According to Engadget, based on the screenshots, the Exclusive Stories feature is Instagram’s answer to Twitter’s paid subscription called Super Follow.
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When regular users open an Exclusive Story, Instagram will notify them that only members can view the content. The feature will also prevent anyone from doing any screenshots, securing the privacy of the users.
The feature will also push creators to save their Exclusive Stories to a Highlight so that the new members can view them after they subscribed.
Since the feature is still a prototype, there is a possibility that Instagram may never release this feature. However, the leaks show that Instagram is thinking about how it can entice users to subscribe and stay on the platform.
Instagram’s Desktop Feature
Aside from Exclusive Stories, Instagram is also testing a feature that lets users create posts using the web browser on a desktop computer.
The feature was first spotted by Matt Navarra, a media consultant, who captured screenshots showing the functionality of the desktop feature.
Instagram confirmed the test to Bloomberg. Christine Pai, the company’s spokesperson, said that they know that a lot of people access Instagram through their desktop computer, and to improve the experience, they are now testing the ability to create a post on Instagram with their desktop browser.
According to The Verge, Navarra’s screenshots show that users can choose aspect ratios, apply built-in filters, and use basic editing parameters with the browser.
The feature is not appearing for every user yet, but it is highlighted in the top right of the screen with a message saying, “Now you can create and share posts directly from your computer,” suggesting that Instagram has plans of distributing the feature in the future.
Instagram is known to be slow in its rollout of features, but now it looks like the platform is speeding it up since Instagram is trying to make the app more like TikTok.
According to CNBC, Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s head of Instagram, said that the social network plans to release more features, recommend more videos in the feeds, allow full-screen, and attract more creators to use the platform.
The sudden change in content presentation will align Instagram in more direct competition to TikTok. Mosseri pointed out that TikTok and YouTube are the platform’s most serious competitors and are the reasons behind Instagram’s changes.
In August 2020, Instagram released Reels, a short-form video feature that allows users to create content with overlaid audio and augmented reality effects, which is the platforms’ answer to TikTok’s short and engaging videos.
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Written by Sophie Webster
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