Image Source: Instagram
Instagram may finally let you access your messages on the web. In a tweet yesterday, the company confirmed that it is currently testing direct messaging on the web, so users can finally read and reply to messages from their desktop. A small percentage of users around the globe already have access to DMs on their desktop browser, and a mass rollout could turn out to be really useful for businesses and influencers who routinely have to read and reply to a whole lot of messages.
Instagram on the web has long suffered some form of neglect, at least when compared to the mobile app. Not only could you not access your messages, you also couldn't post pictures from desktop.
Hopefully, Instagram's limited public testing with messaging on the web is a sign that things could be changing. You'll be able to access the same messaging features through the browser as on mobile, so you can create groups, start a chat directly from someone's profile, share photos, like messages, and also receive notifications.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said last year that the goal is to eventually allow cross-platform messaging across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, so this move could be an important part of making that happen. It also aligns with Facebook's strategy to focus more on messaging and more intimate interactions, finally bringing Instagram in line with both WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, both of which already offer chat functionality over the web.
This feature can't arrive soon enough, if you ask me, and Instagram says that more information on a possible wider release will arrive later.
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