Not long ago, Instagram was exclusive to the iPhone. Then it came to Android. Slowly, the Facebook-owned, photo-driven network has opened its doors to the web as well, having launched web-based profiles at the end of last year.
Now, Instagram users can view their photo feeds through any web browser. This web-based Instagram Feed is a simple one, mimicking the look and feel of Instagram’s mobile apps. Scroll down the page, and you’ll see a single strip containing photos, comments and likes.
There’s not much else to do. In fact, several features from Instagram’s apps are missing. You can’t search or explore non-friends’ photos, upload new photos or view the “news feed” of friend activity. The web feed is a way to look at incoming photos from friends, and nothing more.
Although it’d be nice to see a few more features, I can’t find much fault with the design. So much of the desktop web is overloaded with information–including Facebook’s own site–that Instagram’s site is a breath of fresh air. I don’t need more clutter in every cranny. Just let me scroll through the photos quickly and easily, without making me click or hover over anything to see the key details. That’s what Instagram’s website does today. Hopefully it stays that way.
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