Instagram is one of the most popular image-sharing apps in the whole world with a huge user base. Initially launched on iOS in 2010, Instagram gained users at staggering pace. Today it has an estimated 700 million users. But how can that number keep growing? well Instagram has the answer.
Instagram has added a slew of feature to it’s mobile website that were exclusive to the app.
Most importantly, now you can share photos using simply the mobile website. No app needed. Another feature which is rolling out to the mobile website is similar to the Explore tab in the app version. Before the update, you could do a handful of basic things like browsing, following and liking images. There is still a long way to go for the mobile website as handy features like video uploading and direct messaging are still to be added.
Regarding the new features the company has told TechCrunch, “Instagram.com (accessed from mobile) is a web experience optimized for mobile phones. It’s designed to help people have a fuller experience on Instagram no matter what device or network they are on.”
To garner more users, Instagram has to aggressively target the developing world where users are continuously faced with low speeds and bandwidth all of which can be unfavorable for Instagram’s growth. The move falls in place nicely with Instagram’s growth strategy.
Users will not have to wait for long download times and simply log on to the mobile website and get on with their stuff. Experts are now also predicting that Instagram might launch a lite version of its app much like the Facebook Lite app.