Not even a month has gone by since Instagram launched its Snapchat-like feature, Stories, and it’s already released two new video features on the platform. The features arrived silently within a routine update of the mobile Instagram app, and while neither will actually change much in how we use the platform, they are certainly important.
I was updating my Instagram app yesterday, and as I was looking through the new features brought to the app, I noticed two that sounded familiar – and important.
Zoom While Recording Video On Instagram
The first of these, was the ability to zoom while recording video. All you have to do is swipe up or down, to zoom in or out. Anyone creating and posting videos on Instagram knows that this was not possible on the platform. Until now. On Snapchat it’s been available for ages, and that’s why it sounded familiar.
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Switch Between Front And Back Cameras
The second feature of the update which is also familiar for the same reason (it’s been available on Snapchat for over a year) gives users the ability to switch between their device’s front and back cameras, while shooting a video. To do so, you simply double tap on the screen while recording.
Both features are not super important to most users, as they have made do without them for so many years. They are however very important because they prove just how much Instagram is emulating Snapchat. And that is probably why Instagram launched them silently, rather than making a big deal about them.
The update is available on both iOS and Android since Monday.
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