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This is likely going to hurt Instagram more than Twitter, but Instagram can now afford it. Though some part of me can't help but to feel somewhat glad. Twitter

This is likely going to hurt Instagram more than Twitter, but Instagram can now afford it. Though some part of me can't help but to feel somewhat glad. Twitter has been treating developers like crap for the past year; is somewhat comforting to see them getting a taste of that.

kamjam 14y ago
This was my instant feeling about this. Karma has a way of coming back to bite you in your ass, and the way twitter has been behaving lately...
twoodfin 14y ago
Does Twitter care that much? Presumably in the not-too-distant future they'll be rolling out an enhanced camera/photo tool in their client, precious filters and all. If it's decent, I suspect it'll replace Instagram for many Twitter users. Especially if Instagram still doesn't allow their pictures to show up in the card view.
- iamben 14y ago
  I half agree with you - I don't expect Twitter cares that much - the people sharing photos on Twitter via IG will keep doing so, but I wouldn't expect any Twitter based service to replace IG. The two things are used pretty independently (as in I don't see many people just using Instagram to push filtered photos to Twitter).
- dannyr 14y ago
  Instagram is not about the filters. It's about the community of people sharing photos. Unless Twitter creates a section/site dedicated to just photos, it will not be a threat to Instagram.
  - cube13 14y ago
    Are they sharing their photos on Instagram itself, or were they just using the social network integration features? I would wager that the majority of users of Instagram don't really care about the Instagram social network, instead using the application to share photos through Facebook and Twitter. Instagram's FAQ actually puts their social network integration as a major feature of the app, even mentioning Twitter as one of the compatible networks.
    - iamben 14y ago
      As a user of all three (FB, Twitter and IG), I'd actually wager in the opposite direction...
    - untog 14y ago
      I would wager that the majority of users of Instagram don't really care about the Instagram social network ...and I would absolutely take that bet. I know a ton of (less tech-y) people that check Instagram like it's a bad addiction. It's become a less involved Facebook- checking that results in a huge cognitive load, Instagram is just a nice stream of photos for you to browse through. I get far more 'native' comments on my Instagram photos than I do through the integrated Facebook post. I suspect I am not alone.
  - hnriot 14y ago
    Instagram is totally about the filters! It's not like there aren't a million alternatives, so what made instagram a success? That it took dull photos and made them what is widely considered, interesting.
    - andrus 14y ago
      Maybe at the beginning the filters were a distinguishing factor (I don't know because I wasn't an early adopter, nor did I try, for example, Hipstamatic or others). But now I think Instagram's clear use case is seeing the world through your friends' eyes--what they're eating, seeing, doing. Filters seem less important now, especially given the #nofilter trend.
      - hnriot 14y ago
        The #nofilter trend is just the natural product lifecycle. At first what makes it different becomes so mainstream that the "cool kids" now rebel. This is always the case with products. The #nofilter crowd will move on to the next photo sharing hotness as soon as it comes out. A market is made up of many demographics, the #nofilter crowd are the early adopters who want to distinguish themselves. At first this was by using filters, now it's by not using filters and leveraging their followers for the same dopamine induced reward cycle that was once delivered by the filters. So, while it may seem like I agree with you, I don't. The fact that there are filters is the big deal with Instagram, but for some people, making the choice not to use them, is their own form of self expression, but without the filters to choose not to use, it wouldn't be instagram. They are still vitally important, even when they are not used. I hope this makes sense, I am not sure I have articulated my point very well.
rhizome 14y ago
Twitter may be reaping here, but I don't think there's a question that Instagram is choosing the Flickr route here. Flickr is actually a negative-click for me, knowing that they are going to frame-break my RSS reader (Netvibes), or cause a 5min browser load on my old-ass phone. Twitter may deserve this in the way that we all know, but Instagram is worse. That they have FB to backstop them is their saving throw.
tsieling 14y ago
I don't think this hurts Twitter nearly as much as it hurts Instabook, it only clears the path for Twitter to have less competition for direct photo uploads, which it wants. The people who get hurt most are the people using Instagram who like sharing through Twitter, but they're not the customer anyway.

kamjam 14y ago

This was my instant feeling about this. Karma has a way of coming back to bite you in your ass, and the way twitter has been behaving lately...

twoodfin 14y ago

Does Twitter care that much? Presumably in the not-too-distant future they'll be rolling out an enhanced camera/photo tool in their client, precious filters and all. If it's decent, I suspect it'll replace Instagram for many Twitter users. Especially if Instagram still doesn't allow their pictures to show up in the card view.

iamben 14y ago
I half agree with you - I don't expect Twitter cares that much - the people sharing photos on Twitter via IG will keep doing so, but I wouldn't expect any Twitter based service to replace IG. The two things are used pretty independently (as in I don't see many people just using Instagram to push filtered photos to Twitter).
dannyr 14y ago
Instagram is not about the filters. It's about the community of people sharing photos. Unless Twitter creates a section/site dedicated to just photos, it will not be a threat to Instagram.
- cube13 14y ago
  Are they sharing their photos on Instagram itself, or were they just using the social network integration features? I would wager that the majority of users of Instagram don't really care about the Instagram social network, instead using the application to share photos through Facebook and Twitter. Instagram's FAQ actually puts their social network integration as a major feature of the app, even mentioning Twitter as one of the compatible networks.
  - iamben 14y ago
    As a user of all three (FB, Twitter and IG), I'd actually wager in the opposite direction...
  - untog 14y ago
    I would wager that the majority of users of Instagram don't really care about the Instagram social network ...and I would absolutely take that bet. I know a ton of (less tech-y) people that check Instagram like it's a bad addiction. It's become a less involved Facebook- checking that results in a huge cognitive load, Instagram is just a nice stream of photos for you to browse through. I get far more 'native' comments on my Instagram photos than I do through the integrated Facebook post. I suspect I am not alone.
- hnriot 14y ago
  Instagram is totally about the filters! It's not like there aren't a million alternatives, so what made instagram a success? That it took dull photos and made them what is widely considered, interesting.
  - andrus 14y ago
    Maybe at the beginning the filters were a distinguishing factor (I don't know because I wasn't an early adopter, nor did I try, for example, Hipstamatic or others). But now I think Instagram's clear use case is seeing the world through your friends' eyes--what they're eating, seeing, doing. Filters seem less important now, especially given the #nofilter trend.
    - hnriot 14y ago
      The #nofilter trend is just the natural product lifecycle. At first what makes it different becomes so mainstream that the "cool kids" now rebel. This is always the case with products. The #nofilter crowd will move on to the next photo sharing hotness as soon as it comes out. A market is made up of many demographics, the #nofilter crowd are the early adopters who want to distinguish themselves. At first this was by using filters, now it's by not using filters and leveraging their followers for the same dopamine induced reward cycle that was once delivered by the filters. So, while it may seem like I agree with you, I don't. The fact that there are filters is the big deal with Instagram, but for some people, making the choice not to use them, is their own form of self expression, but without the filters to choose not to use, it wouldn't be instagram. They are still vitally important, even when they are not used. I hope this makes sense, I am not sure I have articulated my point very well.

rhizome 14y ago

Twitter may be reaping here, but I don't think there's a question that Instagram is choosing the Flickr route here. Flickr is actually a negative-click for me, knowing that they are going to frame-break my RSS reader (Netvibes), or cause a 5min browser load on my old-ass phone. Twitter may deserve this in the way that we all know, but Instagram is worse. That they have FB to backstop them is their saving throw.

tsieling 14y ago

I don't think this hurts Twitter nearly as much as it hurts Instabook, it only clears the path for Twitter to have less competition for direct photo uploads, which it wants. The people who get hurt most are the people using Instagram who like sharing through Twitter, but they're not the customer anyway.