So the rumours turned out to be true! Instagram has finally rolled out Dark Mode for both Android and iOS users. The feature is apparently rolling out in a phased manner. The user interface now has black colour in place of the white, and the white elements like the navigation bar now are in black colour. The different pages of the app, Direct Messages and IGTV, also wear a black-coloured skin. The core functionality of the app remains the same as before.
The development was confirmed by Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri in an official Twitter post. He said that the functionality is now available for iOS 13 and Android 10 devices. Reportedly, it is also working on phones running Android 9 Pie, and the feature comes into effect automatically after a user chooses the dark theme in the smartphone’s settings. We tried doing it on Android, however, it seems that we haven’t got the support yet.
Starting today, you can use Instagram in dark mode on iOS 13 or Android 10. Turn dark mode on your phone to try it out. ????
— Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) 8 October 2019
The feature was in beta for some time and brings all the UI updates that were discussed before. Other features include ‘Group Stories’ for Instagram. It was recently spotted by Jane Manchun Wong, who reverse-engineers apps for hidden features and security vulnerabilities. ‘Group Stories’ was rolled out on Facebook earlier this year but was shut down last month. This feature lets users share videos or images with an even refined group of people than Instagram’s ‘Close Friends’ feature.
Instagram recently rolled out Threads, a standalone messaging app, that helps users stay connected with ‘Close Friends’ in a dedicated, private space on the photo and video sharing platform. 'Threads' directly opens the camera app and allows users to add shortcuts. The firm says that the app has been designed keeping privacy, speed, and your close connections in mind. If a user hasn’t created a close-friends list, he/she can make one directly from Threads.
