While Instagram for Android has been around for a while, there are quite a lot of things that people wished they could change about it. Well the powers that be are probably listening and have taken to heart some suggestions or requests, because they have now announced a beta version of their new Instagram for Android app, and they are opening it up to those who want to test drive it, although you may have to go through a few hoops to do so.
First step would be to join the Google Group for Instagram for Android Beta Testers. When you link your Google account to it, you’ll have to “promise” that you won’t be distributing the app to other people. Then you’ll be directed to go to a site where you will sign up as a tester. After you’ve filled in the usual things, the current Instagram app on your smartphone will receive an update. There will be times when the app will need to be uninstalled then reinstalled or you have to restart your device in order for the update to work.
Now what should you expect from the beta version? Well, nothing right now except for bug fixes, which is the only thing listed in what’s new. But this is due to the fact that it’s technically not yet properly updated from 6.13.3 to 6.14.0. We’ll probably see the new features in the next coming days.
With Instagram becoming one of the most popular social networks, even surpassing Twitter in terms of number of users, it’s inevitable that they’d have to replace the current one which is decent but not that great. Hopefully, they will develop something that would take advantage of the Android 5.0 Lollipop’s new features and give us an app that would entice us all the more to use Instagram itself, rather than some 3rd party unauthorized versions like ReGram or RePost.
