An update to Instagram coming today aims to improve the service’s Direct messaging feature by combining disappearing photos and videos with text conversations into a single thread. Previously the features were separated, with disappearing photos and videos in their own conversation separate from text chats, meaning that you could have multiple threads going with the same person(s) within Direct.
Today’s update hopes to streamline your inbox within Direct by making the disappearing photos and videos appear inline within text conversations when it’s the same contact(s):
Instagram also offered an update on progress its Direct messaging feature has made in recent months, noting the feature is now at 375 million users up from 300 million in November of last year. That’s around the time it first launched the new disappearing photos and videos feature for direct messages and also introduced live videos for the app’s Stories feature, both features similar to Snapchat and other social media competitors.
The new update for Direct is rolling out today in the latest version of the Instagram app on the App Store.
