Meta launched a new app called Instants in Italy and Spain, aiming to compete with Snapchat in the ephemeral photo-sharing space. The app allows users to send photos that disappear after a single viewing and become inactive within 24 hours.
Instants opens directly to the camera and prohibits editing or uploading from users’ camera rolls. It combines features from Snapchat, BeReal, and Locket, to promote “low-pressure” sharing among users.
Users can capture photos or short videos and add text before sending them to mutual followers or Close Friends. A Meta spokesperson stated, “We’re experimenting with various iterations of Instants to gauge user preferences and will take feedback from our community into account.” No timeline has been provided for potential launch in the U.S. or other markets.
The app is marketed with the tagline “Real life, real quick” on the Apple App Store, promoting connection over everyday moments. Instants has been in development for several months, initially reported as an internal prototype in February.
The idea evolved from a prior Instagram feature called “Shots,” which tested disappearing photo-sharing within direct messages. This feature allowed users to send photos that vanished once opened and expired after 24 hours.
Meta has a history of replicating features from competitors, like adopting Stories from Snapchat in 2016 and introducing Reels to compete with TikTok. Instants is now available on both Android and iOS in its test markets, but there are currently no plans for wider expansion.
