Earlier this week, Instagram rolled out an online version of its photo stream with most of the same capabilities as its mobile app, including likes and comments. This update is a major step in the growth of the platform, which already has 90 million active monthly users.
From its initial launch in October 2010 through April of last year, Instagram was only available to iPhone users via mobile app. Since that time, it’s been bought by Facebook, expanded to include Android users, established direct functionality with its owner’s platform, and even made user profiles viewable online. Now its online functionality is just the latest step in the two-year-old company’s quest for expansion.
“We believe that you should be able to access Instagram on a variety of different devices, any of which may be convenient to you at a given moment – including your desktop computer or tablet,” said co-founder Kevin Systrom in Instagram’s announcement on its official blog.
Unfortunately, the online feed does not offer the ability to upload from the web. While it’s easy to think that may be the next logical step for the platform, don’t hold your breath. The company clearly states that Instagram “is about producing photos on the go, in the real world, in real time.” The company also wants Instagram’s web experience to be fast and simple, which would be hampered by a slew of worldwide web uploads.
This is a good move not just from an efficiency standpoint, but from a copyright standpoint as well. It’s unfortunate that some Instagram users are now uploading screenshots of copyrighted pictures or annoying memes, taking away a bit from the company’s vision. Allowing web uploads would only exacerbate that problem, so it’s an understandable attitude from the company’s perspective.
Aside from the privacy policy fiasco in December, everything else Instagram has done so far has only helped it grow. This latest rollout is the company’s biggest step yet. However, if growth stalls down the road, we’ll see if the company buckles and allows for web uploads. For now, you can check out your feed on your desktop and get jealous of your friends who are able to go outside.
[Source: Instagram Blog]
