Instagram’s relationship with the PC is, to say the least, most curious. And it is partly right, of course, but it is no less disconcerting for that. It should be remembered that the service was born when smartphones with decent cameras were just starting to become popular, and its raison d’être had to do with that situation since its main selling point was to offer a platform on which smartphone users could share the photos they took with them.
Instagram will allow posting photos from PC
At first, it came to iOS, from where shortly after it jumped to Android, in a strategy in which the desktop was never a priority element, to the point that the official client for Windows 10 did not arrive until 2016. This makes it clear that both its original creators and Facebook, after acquiring it, were clear from the outset that where Instagram generates more engagement on smartphone than on PC.
However, it is one thing not to prioritize the PC, and quite another to leave it completely aside, because there are many reasons why offering a desktop version, accessible from the browser, opens access to it to many users who, for whatever reason, do not use the app. Not to mention that without a web interface it would be impossible to share content on social networks, through instant messaging services, on websites, and so on. No matter how great a service is, and Instagram is one, giving up an audience is always a mistake.
However, the fact that Instagram has a web version does not mean that it is treated with the same care as its smartphone apps. On the contrary, there are quite a few features available only on iOS and Android, and that users who use it exclusively or mainly from the PC browser. Although, in all fairness, it must be said that there have been some changes in this regard, such as the ability to view stories and direct messages.
#Instagram is rolling out the ability to create posts from the desktop website 🥳
Tweeted 42 days before the roll out 😇https://t.co/Fiq1U2MOAw
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) June 24, 2021
And as we can see in a tweet from Alessandro Paluzzi, there will soon be a major breakthrough in this regard, as he confirms that Instagram is already testing to make it possible to upload content from the PC, something that. surprisingly, so far has not been possible. Some users are seeing a + sign appear at the top right of the interface and, when you click on it, the new section to upload images is displayed. And yes, this is Instagram we’re talking about, so of course, it has cropping features and more than popular filters.
It is most likely that the use of the function to upload images from the PC is a minority compared to those who will continue to use the app mainly for this purpose. However, it is also true that the pandemic and the confinements caused a substantial increase in the use of the web version of Instagram. Surely those responsible have been well aware of this, and have decided to capitalize on the new users who may have come directly to the PC version.