Instagram to introduce video filters and sharing: Logical evolution or overkill?

video-camera-man.jpgIt’s no surprise that we can’t get enough of Instagram here at Shiny Shiny, and we’re not alone, there are now more than 12 million users worldwide, a number which grows at a crazy rate by the day.

However, we weren’t sure whether a comment recently made by the app’s co-founder, Kevin Systrom, about introducing video editing and sharing into the Instagram offering is a genius idea and a logical evolution or just unnecessary overkill in a bid to stand out against the competition.

Systrom hinted (and let’s remember it was only a hint) at the prospect of introducing video in an interview with Techcrunch:

“Video makes sense to do. I will say it’s a very interesting area. We really want to go after something bigger than filtered photos. Our job and our vision is to allow you to tell the story of your life, and whatever tools that may be for video, we’ll end up making them. I’m not sure if that includes filters for video or not, but we’ll definitely consider it.”

Granted rumours that one of your favourite apps will be changing is quite scary for some (cue angry tweets from obsessive users), but we can’t help but think that the introduction of more features and types of media will only serve to complicate what is already a brillant application.

Our first thought is that the app will have to change in a big way to accomodate video uploading and editing. It’s obviously not impossible, but the app is bound to be slower to load, and if you haven’t got 3G when you’re out and about there’s a good chance you won’t be able to get lengthy video content onto the app at all or possibly even view it.

We’re also concerned that video content may not have the same kind of entertaining appeal we’ve come to know and love from random Instagram snaps. They’re bound to look a little more amateur and messy too, it’s easy to make a picture of a tree look good, but a shaky three minute walk through a park will be harder to improve, even if it does have a quirky Lo-Mo filter applied to it afterwards.

Finally, Systrom says he wants people to be able to tell the story of their life, but where do we stop? First photos, then videos, then text posts, quotes, a blog on the side, a web application for it all to live in, the list could go on and on. We love what Instagram has to offer now, but if it starts getting cluttered there’ll be very little that differentiates it from the likes of Facebook (apart from a few retro filters of course).

Apps and services need to change with the times, even if we love them exactly how they are, and far too many people kick up a fuss when an app or website gets a revamp or a few new features. But at the same time something can definitely said for the “less is more” approach, particularly when it comes to services that we want to use daily.

[Image via woodleywonderworks]
Becca Caddy