Windows Phones now enjoy Instagram

More than 150m people are using Instagram to share photos from iPhone and Android smartphones. Now the Facebook-owned app has launched for Windows Phone.

Caveats? It's missing a few of the features from those other versions, including the ability to upload and share videos. However, despite reports to the contrary, the app can take photos.

Well, at least the version of "Instagram BETA" for the Nokia Lumia 1020 that I'm testing it on can take photos.

There's been a lot of back-and-forth on Twitter about whether the ability to take photos is missing or not, and it appears even Instagram is confused: a spokesperson told Business Insider that "You can add photos from your camera roll, but taking a photo with the in-app camera is not a capability as of now".

As some people who've watched the video above have remarked, that may be strictly true,if Instagram is pushing people out to the device's native camera app to take the photo, then pulling it back in for cropping. Even so, it will feel like you're taking a photo within the app to most users.

Even more puzzling on the video front, Instagram's support website claims that "currently, people with Windows Phones can't upload or record video from the app, though you can still watch videos in your New Feed and on other places you seem [sic] them."

Yet on the Windows Phone store listing for the app, one of the feature bullet points is "Video recording with breathtaking cinematic stabilization". A feature that does appear to be missing in the actual app, although there's a greyed-out (and thus unresponsive) video button on the capture screen (that's it at the bottom right in the video above, when I'm taking the snap).

"We wanted to make Instagram available to people with Windows Phones as quickly as possible, so we focused on creating an awesome experience with Instagram’s core features," explains the official Instagram blog post announcing the app's launch.

"We’re not finished, and our team will continue developing the Windows Phone app to keep releasing features and bringing you the best Instagram possible." Ensuring the support website and app store listing maintain a consistent (not to mention correct) line would be a good start.

Instagram's debut on Windows Phone has been long anticipated. Nokia even ran a #2InstaWithLove campaign earlier in 2013 to persuade Instagram to port its app to Windows Phones, before announcing that the app was on the way at its Nokia World conference in October.

Microsoft has also been lobbying for Instagram's arrival on Windows Phone, claiming today that it now has "90% of the top 20 ranked apps across all platforms", with Twitter's Vine video-sharing app also having recently launched for Windows Phone.


/The Guardian/