It seems Instagram is on a roll quite literally because it has been rolling out some interesting features. Last week we saw it launched IGTV, which enables anyone to post long-form videos in vertical format.
And now they have rolled out when you for 6 which lets users make one-t0-one video calls. The user interface of Instagrams one-on-one call is a bit different from others as the screen is equally divided into two parts just like the Instagram streams when the second person joins in the live stream.
But one on one charts is private streams that no one else watches. A similar feature is already available in Snapchat which is the source of inspiration for Instagram since it has launched so many features that are heavily inspired by Snapchat.
How to get this one to one video calling feature in Instagram
The feature is currently being rolled out to the users, region wise, so maybe it is going to be rolled out in batches, but, to make sure that you get this rollout, make sure your Instagram app is updated.
When is the feature is rolled out you will see the video icon on the top right-hand side in the private chat screens. Currently, you get two options, one is, flipping the front camera with the back camera, and the other feature is making the chat Windows smaller so that you can keep using Instagram while doing the video chat.
I tested this new feature with a friend of mine and the video quality seems to be decent. I made a call to the UAE but as usual, the VoIP calls are blocked even on Instagram, so he had to use a VPN, which makes the internet terribly slow, but the picture quality was still decent enough and better than other services.
If you want to make voice calls or video calls to the Middle East, you can check out this article to know more about your alternative.
And for the rest of the world, you can enjoy one on one video calling even on Instagram. With Instagram rolling out this new feature, it is certain that it does not want to portray itself as a platform for just consuming the content, but also as a means to stay in touch with friends and family.
How Instagram Video Chat is Different from WhatsApp or Facebook Video Calling
Apart from the UI difference of dividing the screen into two half, Instagram users can do video chat using their Brand accounts as well.
Since you can create Instagram IDs for Brands or Communities, which could also be linked to the Facebook Pages, the Video Chat is not just for personal pleasure, but it could be a potential tool to interact with like-minded people.
Perhaps this is the reason the UI is a bit different from other Video Calling apps.
Apart from the Video Chat, Instagram has also rolled out some Custom Filters for the Stories section, but we will talk about it in a separate post. Check out Techtippr.com for other articles.
