Name: Instagram’s Copying of Snapchat Is A Bold Move
Uploaded: 2016-08-03
Duration: 2 min 4 s
Description: And might diminish the success it’s already had

[ SOUND ] Instagram has rolled out stories, a new feature that mimics Snapchat's functionality. Erin, is this brazen or brilliant? I don't know if it's either of those things but it is definitely bad. Any time you see a tech company, particularly a consumer internet company that lives and dies by Impressing its users with its new awesome features. Sure. Just Blakely copycatiing one of their up incoming competitors that to me is a terrible sign that they don't have either good ideas that users like or they don't have faith in their idea that users will like them. Well it's not exactly inspiring I'll give you that, but the same, hey if it works why not? I mean. Look Snapchat has clearly compelled the kids. It's all about the kids, right? It's all about the teens, the young users. Users that Facebook doesn't seem to grab onto anymore. And Instagram kind of increasingly the same issue. If Snapchat's got them, Facebook Inc. wants them why not you can't buy snapchat just copy. Well the problem is that doesn't work. Facebook has twice tried to copy Snapchat twice now with Poke and Sling and those were total failures so they have dispatched Instagram to try to do it Launched something a couple years ago called Instagram Direct that really hasn't been, certainly not a Snapchat killer. This is just another example of something that I don't think is going to hurt Snapchat at all and I don't think it's really going to help Instagram that much either. The idea is that can it preserve the core experience. The bar is high to put an Instagram photo. You want it to be perfect. You want everybody to love it so much. You don't wanna just throw Throw stuff up there. And that's what Snapchat does. So, if it can lower that bar by adding that functionality, great. Because, otherwise, Instagram is a really good environment. Advertisers love it. The engagement's there. But they need it higher. So, copy them. Well, the problem with that is that Instagram users love it for its clean design. And that has always been what's been so great about the app. It's got a very simple, easy to use interface and you can just start using it right away and figure it out. Snapchat on the other hand, it's very hard to figure out. I think if Instagram starts jamming more and more features into that clean design, users are going to be turned off, and they might end up doing the exact opposite of what they are trying to do here. That is a fair point. For one show that's always original, come to fortune. com for more Tech Debate. [ MUSIC ]

Instagram’s Copying of Snapchat Is A Bold Move

And might diminish the success it’s already had