This week, the very popular picture-sharing app Instagram, launched a new video recording function feature. This is a direct response to Twitter’s 6-second video sharing app, Vine.
Since its launch in January, Vine has grown at an alarming rate to over 13 million users. However, most of my friends haven’t even heard about this app despite the fact that Vine has been topping the charts for free download apps.
However, Instagram recently unveiled a new update, which has the potential to knock out Vine. In a nutshell, the new update offers 15-second videos, compared to Vine’s 6 seconds.
Instagram also offers a feature that lets you rewind and delete your recorded sections if you mess up. That’s something that annoyed me as a Vine user. I would be recording a Vine video and mess up right at the end, causing me to start over. The ability to delete sections makes this new Instagram very user-friendly.
After making your video, you can apply one of 13 specially-made video filters. This can add a cool vintage look to your videos.
But this is where Instagram really kills Vine. It lets you choose a cover photo for your video, so other users just see it as a static image. If they want to view your video, they cansimply tap the picture. While Vine only allows sharing via Facebook and Twitter, Instagram allows you to share videos on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, E-mail, and Foursquare.
Back in the day (aka a month ago), I could spend hours scrolling on Instagram looking at my friend’s pictures, celebrity pictures, and random people I didn’t even know. But nowadays, I find myself going on Instagram less and less. Static pictures with cheesy filters don’t interest me anymore. WHY DON’T THESE PICTURES MOVE!
Vine on the other hand is slowly consuming my life. I find myself thinking, “hmmm…what can I Vine about.” I constantly check the popular section for inspiration.
The user content on Vine is mostly comedy based and incredibly creative. The quick cuts and the smooth transition between the scene changes make the videos look professionally edited. This is something that doesn’t shine as well with Instagram. The Vine team made videos a max of 6 seconds, which forces people to get creative and make good content. This gave social media agencies and brands a chance to shine and show off their creativity. Vine videos also loop when the video is over, whereas Instagram videos just end.
The only upper hand is that Instagram has 100 million users, compared to Vine’s 13 million. After using Instagram’s video feature, I don’t see how Vine can ever compete with Instagram. Despite the incredibly creative and funny content that has come out on Vine, Instagram came out with guns blazing, adding so many vital features we didn’t know we needed.
Celebrities and even some of my friends have been flipping out about Instagram video. Jimmy Fallon and his Late Night show have already incorporated a new game on the show called “15 Seconds Of Fame” where users are encouraged to send their Instagram videos with the hashtag #Fallon15 for a chance to be on the show.
Some might say that Instagram copied Vine. That’s what I said before I used it the new feature, but Instagram didn’t actually change. It still looks and operates like Instagram, but with a new video feature. Unlike Vine, Instagram offers customization, cover photos, editing features that act like nails in the coffin of this once oh-so-promising app, Vine.
Vine has a max of 7 seconds not 6