Instagram – Meta’s photo and video sharing platform – is planning to introduce a way for users to get early access to features, according to a recent leak. At present, testers can only join the [Android] Beta program to access Instagram’s beta features which are currently in the test phase. With the rumoured “early access”, users may be able to experiment with the in-development features through an alternate method.
A screenshot shared on Threads by developer Alessandro Paluzzi suggests that the option to join early access may be present in the Settings and activity tab. A new “early access to features” is reportedly visible as the last option.
With this new option, Instagram might finally allow users early access to its experimental features similar to Google Search Labs and YouTube Experiments.
AI-Generated themes on Instagram
Paluzzi also revealed that the social media platform is working to further incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into its app. It may reportedly allow users to generate themes for chats with AI.
At present, Instagram allows users to tweak chat themes with options such as gradients and colours, while also presenting special themes. A screenshot shared by the leaker shows a new Create with AI option alongside other chat themes such as Pickleball, Snack Party, and Minecraft.
A similar feature on WhatsApp was also reportedly under development which might enable users to choose from five preset themes – blue, green (default), grey, red, and purple. As per the report, it might be available via a new theme picker and selecting a theme might change the colour and the wallpaper in the chat’s background.
Upcoming Instagram cross-posting feature
According to another recent report, Instagram is also working to bring cross-posting to the platform. It would reportedly allow users to cross-post content from Instagram to Threads – Meta’s microblogging platform which serves as a direct competitor to X (formerly Twitter).
This feature would not be turned on by default and users might need to opt-in to use it, the report speculates. It would reportedly work along the same lines as the cross-post functionality between Instagram and Facebook.