Facebook’s picture sharing service Instagram has entered the micro-video sharing space, putting it in direct competition with Twitter’s Vine app.
While Vine offers users the chance to upload videos lasting up to six seconds, Instagram videos can be up to 15 seconds long, but they can also be filmed in instalments – just a few seconds at a time or even tenths of seconds.
Writing on the Instagram blog, co-founder Kevin Systrom said: “Over the past two and a half years, Instagram has become a community where you can capture and share the world’s moments simply and beautifully.
“Some moments, however, need more than a static image to come to life. Until now these stories have been missing from Instagram.”
The latest update to Instagram on iOS and Android contains the video feature.
Systrom added: “We’re excited to see what the community will bring to video, whether it’s your local cafe showing you just how they made your latte art this morning or an Instagrammer on the other side of the world taking you on a tour of their city, a mother sharing her joys in parenting as her children laugh and play or your favorite athlete taking you behind the scenes.”
