The smash hit photo sharing success, Instagram is finally rolling out a web version. Despite having more than 100 Million mobile users, Instagram has taken a very different path to most startups. Building a web version of your site is usually a mandatory item on the development list, but not for Instagram.
After successfully building a massive audience on iOS and Android, being acquired by Facebook finally a web version is here. The Web Profiles are being rolled out across Instagram’s growing user base and if you don’t already have it, they say it will be available for all users by the end of this week.
One interesting decision is Instagram’s won’t allow photo uploads from the web. They say “Instagram is focused on the production of photos from mobile devices so users are not currently able to upload from the web. We’re excited about how Web Profiles will make it easier to browse and share content on the web for all our users.”
The good news is the profiles are beautifully presented. Facebook’s influence here is clear, with a cover-like section at the top, followed by photos divided by month. Like the timeline on Facebook, this does provide a really simple way to track down previous photos you, or friends have posted.
The follower count is also placed in prime real estate giving it much more focus that it ever had on the mobile app.
It took some time, but Instagram and Facebook have delivered a great web version. I’m not sure about the restriction on web uploads, if they don’t think people are already uploading DSLR pics to Instagram, they’re kidding themselves.
More information @ Instagram
