• by Colin Kirkland , Yesterday

As Snapchat readies the release of its AR wearables ahead of Meta’s “Orion” AR launch, Instagram is reportedly developing its own Snapchat-like app called “Instants,” according to Business Insider.

A Meta spokesperson has informed Business Insider that the company is currently building “an internal prototype of a new stand-alone app for sending disappearing photos,” per the article.

Instants has also been highlighted in a screenshot shared by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, which is formally described by the tech giant as a way to “share disappearing photos with friends,” mimicking the core function of Snapchat.

The name “Instants” is derived from a similar Instagram feature previously deemed “Shots,” which exists in users’ direct-messaging inbox and has been testing in various regions across the globe, per the information attained from the Meta spokesperson.

Meta has taken inspiration from Snapchat before, launching its Instagram Stories function in 2016, a 24-hour top-of-the-feed feature that has become a primary channel from brands attempting to drive awareness, traffic, engagement and sales.

Instagram also announced “Friends Map” in August, which takes on Snapchat’s long-running real-time immersive app that shows users where their friends are and promotes brick-and-mortar shopping experiences.

Snapchat and Meta are also competing with their consumer-facing augmented reality products. Snapchat’s planning to release its new-generation “Specs” wearables ahead of Meta’s “Orion” glasses in order to overcome market challenges, including user growth stagnation in the U.S. and Europe and provide a new revenue stream.