Instagram was made to be used on phones, to be sure, but there is a lot of users accessing it on the web, still.
No surprise there — the web version of Instagram, although barebones, offers a pretty robust, not to mention clean, experience. It has the bare essentials of the regular Instagram experience but lacks some components, such as Direct Messaging or, heck, even uploading an image. However, the web app may now become even more useful.
Instagram Web Gets DMs
According to crafty reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong, DMs may be coming soon. Much like her discoveries of features on other apps such as Twitter that were still in development, Wong has unearthed a Direct Messaging section for Instagram on the web.
The interface closely resembles that of Messenger on the web, with threads on the leftmost panel. On Messenger, if the user clicks on a conversation, it will open up on the rightmost panel, which is likely also the case here. Up top, there's an Instagram logo, a Search bar, and on the far right, Instagram buttons, including likes, profile, and such.
Instagram is working on Direct for the desktop website pic.twitter.com/2Yc0T94wh1 — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) October 9, 2019
When a conversation is open, the user can summon information about that thread, which appears as a sidebar on the right, much like on Messenger on the web. Facebook, which owns Instagram, has announced plans to allow users to communicate between Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp without jumping from one platform to another, so its apps sharing a similar user interface should come as no surprise.
Why This Could Be A Godsend For Some
For Instagram users who, for some reason, prefer the desktop version, this feature could be a significant addition. Imagine an influencer who needs to respond to tons of messages each day — sounds like torture on a phone. It might be easier to do it on the web, with a proper keyboard.
It's not clear why Instagram is testing this feature on the web, though. Perhaps the company is preparing to make the web version a lot more similar to its mobile counterpart. If so, why? The desktop experience is slowly but surely being abandoned and people are flocking to smartphones in droves for their everyday web use. Does Instagram want more people to access the web version? It's hard to know for now, but make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
Which one do you prefer, the Instagram app or the web version? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
