more than 150m people are using Instagram to share photos from
iPhone and Android smartphones. Now the Facebook-owned app has launched for
Windows Phone.
Caveats? It's missing a few of the features from those other
versions, including the ability to upload and share videos. However, despite
reports to the contrary, the app can take photos.
Well, at least the
version of "Instagram BETA" for the Nokia Lumia 1020 that I'm testing
it on can take photos. Here's how it works on that device:
There's been a
lot of back-and-forth on Twitter about whether the ability to take photos is
missing or not, and it appears even Instagram is confused: aspokesperson
told Business Insider that "You can add photos from your
camera roll, but taking a photo with the in-app camera is not a capability as
of now".
As some people who've
watched the video above have remarked, that may be strictly true,if Instagram
is pushing people out to the device's native camera app to take the photo, then
pulling it back in for cropping. Even so, it will feel like you're taking a
photo within the app to most users.
Even more puzzling on the video front, Instagram's support website claims
that "currently, people with Windows Phones can't upload or record video
from the app, though you can still watch videos in your New Feed and on other
places you seem [sic] them."
Yet on the Windows Phone store listing for the app, one of the feature
bullet points is "Video recording with breathtaking cinematic
stabilization". A feature that does appear to be missing in the actual
app, although there's a greyed-out (and thus unresponsive) video
button on the capture
screen (that's it at the bottom right in the video above, when I'm taking the
snap).
"We wanted to make
Instagram available to people with Windows Phones as quickly as possible, so we
focused on creating an awesome experience with Instagram’s core features,"
explains the official Instagram blog post announcing the app's launch.
"We’re not finished,
and our team will continue developing the Windows Phone app to keep releasing
features and bringing you the best Instagram possible." Ensuring the
support website and app store listing maintain a consistent (not to mention
correct) line would be a good start.
Instagram's debut on Windows Phone has been long anticipated.
Nokia evenran
a #2InstaWithLove campaign earlier
in 2013 to persuade Instagram to port its app to Windows Phones, before announcing that
the app was on the way at its Nokia World conference in October.
Microsoft has also been
lobbying for Instagram's arrival on Windows Phone, claiming today that it now
has "90% of the top 20 ranked apps across all platforms", with
Twitter's Vine video-sharing app also having recently launched for Windows
Phone.
Source: TheGuardian
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