In a bid to compete with its contemporaries, Instagram is reportedly working on introducing audio and video calling on Direct, its standalone messaging platform.
According to a report that appeared on TechCrunch, files buried in Instagram and Direct’s Android Application Packages (APKs), which are files for unreleased features waiting to be surfaced when the company is ready to launch them, were noted to be files and icons for Call, and Video Call.
However, the company refused to comment on the same at present. Reports of the new function surfaced in January this year, when a video icon appeared on an Instagram Direct message thread, thus, symbolising the option for users to video chat with each other.
The two new features, if launched, can prove to be a game changer for Instagram against its competitors, particularly with Snapchat, which first launched video calling in 2014 and ramped up the feature with easier access plus audio and video notes in 2016.