Popular photo-sharing platform Instagram is currently in the process of testing out several new features it could potentially add to the app, and this includes one of the most asked for features from users.
Instagrammers have been asking their host to install a Regram button for many years, and it is something they have had to do without thus far, instead resorting to some of the third party applications such as ‘Repost for Instagram’ that will do this on the user’s behalf. However, Instagram is now testing out the feature and could potentially be rolling it out to all users in the near future.
The button would work in a similar way to the Retweet button on microblogging site Twitter and the Share button on parent company and social media giant, Facebook. It would be a welcome addition to the photo-sharing site as it would provide users with an easy way to share other people’s videos and images from their own account.
At present, to share someone else’s content, users have to either save the images to the phone and reupload them from their own account, usually giving photo credits in the caption, or rely on these third party apps.
The Regram button would sit alongside the other main buttons on the site – Like, Comment and Direct Message. The addition of the button to the app would make sharing other content much easier and secure. The test was first noticed by Matt Navara at The Next Web.
As well as the Regram button, Instagram is also testing out a number of other features. One of them is related to Instagram Stories and is called Highlight. This allows a user to have one of their stories appearing on their profile for longer than the standard 24 hours, showcasing the story.
Another feature in the works is a closest friends list. This is similar to the Top 8 on Myspace, which is essentially just a private group chat feature for users to share posts from other accounts. It is possible for users to have group chats in the Direct Messages section of the app, and it is possible to share posts to that, so it could just be an extension of this.
Instagram is also looking into the possibility of adding a GIF search feature and a ‘Share to WhatsApp’ function that will make it easier to share content from the app through to the messaging app, which is also owned by Facebook.
Should some of these features get the green light to become a permanent fixture on the site, they could prove to be a big hit for users, with the Regram button poised to change the way in which some users chose to interact with the app.
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