Instagram plans new Snapchat-style app ‘Instants’ amid rising AR competition

Meta is reportedly developing a new Snapchat-like app for Instagram called Instants as competition intensifies ahead of upcoming AR wearable launches. Developers are creating the feature as a separate application which will focus on sharing photos that automatically delete after viewing.

Snapchat is preparing to release its next-generation AR glasses, while Meta is developing its own AR glasses, Orion, which will start a new competition between social media platforms and augmented reality technology.

What does Instant app on Instagram do?

A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that the company is working on an internal prototype designed for sharing disappearing photos with friends. Alessandro Paluzzi, an app researcher, posted a screenshot of Instants, which shows the application allows users to send images that will vanish after viewing. The concept closely mirrors Snapchat’s core feature, reinforcing Meta’s continued interest in short-lived, private visual sharing.

The name Instants is reportedly linked to an earlier Instagram feature called Shots, which has been testing in users’ direct messages in select regions. This is not the first time Meta has borrowed ideas from Snapchat.

In 2016, Instagram introduced Stories, a 24-hour photo and video format that went on to become a major tool for creators and brands. More recently, Instagram launched Friends Map, a feature similar to Snapchat’s real-time location sharing.