WhatsApp is soon getting an ‘Instagram feature’: What users need to know

If you use both Instagram and WhatsApp, Facebook is likely to soon roll out a new feature for you. The feature is surely to please Instagram lovers. The company is reportedly testing a new feature that will allow Instagram users to share Instagram Stories directly on WhatsApp, as WhatsApp Status. However, they will still have to go to the messaging app and press ‘Send’ to have the story posted. Both WhatsApp Status and Instagram Story will stay live for 24 hours, unless deleted earlier. For someone who regularly updates Instagram Stories and updates Status on WhatsApp, this feature will mean spending less time in doing the two. Here are some key things that users need to know about the feature:

1. Not available to all Instagram users yet : As of now, Facebook is only testing this feature with a few users. There is no word from the company about when it will be rolled out to all its users.

2. Would be encrypted like WhatsApp messages : You can share Instagram Stories that has embellished pictures, GIFs and videos on WhatsApp without worrying about encryption. Like other messages on WhatsApp, the Instagram Story that you will share will be encrypted too.

3. Instagram Stories can also be shared on Facebook : Do you love Instagram Stories, WhatsApp Status, and Facebook Stories too? You would be happy to know that an Instagram story can be shared on Facebook too. However, the feature currently is only available to Instagram users in the US.

4. Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status are more popular than Snapchat : In November 2017, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status have 300 million daily active users. The number is more than their closest rival Snapchat, which during its Q2 earnings conference in August 2017, announced that it has 173 million daily active users.

Recently, the photo-sharing app Instagram introduced a new feature which enables users to follow Hashtags. According to Instagram, the feature makes it easier for users to discover photos, videos and people on its platform. Late last year, the app also made its Recommended Post feature live for everyone. With this feature, Instagram shows its users posts that they may like.