Facebook started testing an experimental offline mode in the beta version of the Instagram Android app, the Menlo Park-based company announced at its annual F8 developer conference on Wednesday. The functionality itself was designed with the intent of helping Instagram grow its reach in developing regions where access to reliable, high-speed Internet isn’t guaranteed, meaning the service must be able to work in areas with low bandwidth and should be capable of ensuring an acceptable user experience even when it loses an Internet connection. The experimental functionality of Instagram is currently exclusive to beta users of the Android app and will be rolling out worldwide later this year, Facebook confirmed.
The newly developed offline mode allows Instagram users to continue interacting with content even when their Internet connection breaks down, as the app will still allow them to visit user profiles and browse their feeds. Many basic Instagram features like liking and unliking content, commenting, saving pictures, and (un)following users are supported by the app’s new offline mode, while all of the actions users take while offline will be updated as soon as Instagram reconnects to the Internet, the social media giant said. In order to create Instagram’s offline mode, Facebook turned to a broad range of contemporary development techniques that were detailed by one of the company’s software engineers earlier today. Follow the source link below to find out more information regarding the software framework powering Instagram’s latest feature.
The Menlo Park-based social media giant has yet to reveal when exactly it’s planning to launch Instagram’s offline mode on a global level, but the company said the functionality is slated to be released “soon,” implying that more information on its availability will likely follow by summer or sooner. The Facebook-owned social service recently announced that its Stories feature boasts over 200 million users, meaning that sole functionality of the app has more users than its biggest competitor Snapchat has in total. The company is adamant to maintain and try to improve that lead by introducing a number of additional features to the app, including new stickers, filters, and many other similar offerings.