Instagram, Waze land on Windows Phone
Facebook's photo social network Instagram finally arrives in the Windows Phone app store, but you cannot record video from the app.
Update, 4:38 p.m. PT: Instagram originally said that you couldn't take photos in the app. After playing around with Instagram for Windows Phone, we found that you can take photos. For a step-by-step process to shoot and post a photo in the app, check out our full review.
After much anticipation, the official Instagram app launched on Windows Phone on Wednesday. The app comes just one week after the Twitter-owned video social network Vine popped up for Windows Phone.
The news isn't much of a surprise, as we've known that Instagram would eventually show up, thanks to an announcement at Nokia World. For a little history, Instagram started on iOS in October 2010, moved to Android in April 2012, and now, a little more than three years after its initial debut, has at last popped up on its third mobile platform.
Senior Marketing Manager for Windows Phone at Microsoft Casey McGee says that Instagram has been one of the most-requested apps from Windows Phone customers. Based on the sheer number of Instagram clients available in the app store, it's clear that users have been clamoring for a way to connect with the photo-focused social network.
If you were waiting for a full-featured Instagram app to come to Windows Phone, don't get your hopes up. The app is still in beta, and you can't record or upload videos, there's no geotagging or Photo Map, and you can't tag people in your photos. Instagram says users can upload photos from their phone's camera roll, but you cannot shoot photos from the app itself. That's a significant missing feature that puts the Windows Phone app far behind Instagram on other platforms. Instagram says in its blog that the company wanted to get the app out as quickly as possible, and in order to do that, had to only focus on the core features (taking photos and applying filters). Instagram told CNET that the app is still in beta.
As an added treat, traffic app Waze also launches in the app store today. The service, which was acquired by Google in June 2013, offers free GPS navigation that's updated in real-time based on traffic conditions. It relies on users to report traffic hazards, such as accidents and slowdowns, to give everyone in the app accurate and useful directions.
Both Instagram and Waze will be available starting at 11 a.m. PT today. Look for other popular apps to show up in the Windows Phone soon, including Mint, Temple Run 2, Xbox Video, and news magazine app Flipboard.