Instagram Tests Copycat Version of Famous BeReal App

Instagram from Meta Platforms Inc. looks to be emulating another up-and-coming social media competitor: BeReal, a popular picture app that urges users to snap and publish an image once a day at the same time as all of their friends.

According to an image released on Twitter by developer Alessandro Paluzzi, Instagram, Meta's own photo- and video-sharing programme, is developing a feature that appears very identical to BeReal. Instagram urges users to "Join IG Candid Challenges" and "daily at a different time, get a notice to snap and post a photo in 2 minutes," according to the graphic. That is the fundamental principle of BeReal. According to an Instagram spokeswoman, the feature is a "internal prototype" that is "not being tested externally." A BeReal spokesperson could not respond immediately.

BeReal, which was formed in 2020 and is located in Paris, has gained popularity among youngsters because to its effort to persuade users to post at the same time. Snapping photographs at odd hours of the day has also resulted in a less polished experience, because users aren't spending time arranging, editing, or refining the images – a common critique of Instagram postings.

Meta has a history of stealing features from new competitors, such as Snapchat's Stories and TikTok's short-form films. Venture capital firms such as Andreessen Horowitz and Accel have invested in BeReal.