On the 10th
of April it was publicised that social networking website Facebook had
announced that it was to buy Instagram- a popular photo-sharing app for
smartphones. The company
is paying $1billion in cash and stock shares for the takeover of Instagram
which was only launched in October 2010. The app was at first exclusively for
iPhone users; however it was recently made available as an app for Android
users.
Instagram is
a free app which allows users to apply one of 17 filters to their pictures to
change the colour balance before they are uploaded. Users could then post their
pictures to other social networking platforms like Twitter and Facebook. The
app has proven to be very popular with users uploading over 1 million photos
everyday.
Mark
Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive pledged to continue to develop Instagram
as a separate brand, allowing users to still post pictures to rival networks.
However what
is interesting is that is appears that Twiiter co-founder Jack Dorsey and an
Instagram investor tried to buy the app a few weeks before Zuckerberg came
along and sealed the deal. Apparently since the Facebook and Instagram deal
Dorsey who was an early backer of Instagram and would regularly post his
pictures onto his Twitter profile has not posted any pictures.
Personally
as a user of Instagram I’m not particularly bothered that Facebook has taken it
over so long as they do not make any drastic changes to the app because I like
the way it is now. However a lot of people are worried about the fact that
Facebook have taken it over because they are known for constantly changing
things even when it’s not necessary.
None the
less one thing for sure is that Facebook have made a very good acquisition,
sorry Twitter maybe next time.
An interesting topic you have decided to blog about! Even though I am not a user of Instagram I still see it regularly on both my Twitter & Facebook, which highlights just how popular it has become in the past year or so. Especially with iPhone users I don't think there is anyone I know who owns a iPhone and doesn't have Instagram! I think its a great way to portray your photo's and turn them into something completely different with the use of the many different effects it has to offer. It allows the idea of photo sharing to enter a new realm, where each user can follow other fellow Instagram users. It links in with the idea of social capital by promoting further social activity and increasing interaction.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Facebook have brought Instagram doesn't make a real difference to the app, however it has no doubt made a real difference to the creators of the app as the Facebook deal has made them millionaires! I know that if I ever become an iPhone user I will most definitely invest my time in the Instagram app.