Instagram’s next big feature could be a copy of BeReal

Instagram is testing a feature identical to that offered by BeReal, offering to take a photo on location at random times of the day. All means are good for attracting young people.

Instagram is testing a new feature called Candid Challenges, very similar to BeReal, a photo-sharing app popular among Gen Zers. Features across apps and services. A spokesperson for the company confirmed that the feature is an “internal prototype”but did not provide any further details.

Instagram is testing a feature identical to the one offered by BeReal.

According to Alessandro Paluzzi, users participating in these explicit competitions will see a notification at different times every day asking them to take a picture. When this notification is displayed, the Instagram camera will open with front and rear sensors and give the user two minutes to take a photo. Content posted in these challenges will appear in Stories.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because the functionality is nearly identical to BeReal, a selfie app touted as a more sincere and authentic alternative to popular social platforms. Launched in 2019, the app prompts users to take pictures with the front and rear cameras at different times each day. All with the same 2 minute window. And users can see all the photos shared by their loved ones on the same day.

ask to take a candid photo at any time of the day

There’s no way to know if Instagram will open up this feature to the general public, let alone when. An Instagram spokesperson called the feature an “internal prototype”that is not subject to “external testing.”But the very fact that the company is testing this option suggests that it is seriously considering replicating the concept in its own service.

BeReal is very popular among Generation Z and the service has really taken off in recent months. The app is currently very well positioned in the Apple App Store, well ahead of Instagram (8ᵉ) and Facebook (18ᵉ). This summer, it is among the ten most popular free apps.

All means are good for attracting young people

Mark Zuckerberg explained that Meta’s future hinges on its ability to attract younger people who are spending more and more time on non-Meta platforms. And while TikTok is currently the giant’s biggest competitor, it keeps a very close eye on the rest and doesn’t hesitate to copy the features of other services. Instagram also recently added a new “Double”option to its built-in camera, which faithfully reproduces the shot popularized by BeReal.

#Instagram is working on IG Candid Challenges, a feature inspired by @BeReal_App ?

ℹ️ Add other people’s IG Candids to your story. And every day at a different time, get a notification to take a photo and share it in 2 minutes. pic.twitter.com/caTCgUPtEV

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) August 22, 2022