Instagram & Snapchat Synchronously Unveil Updates

Who’s winning in the seemingly unending war between Snapchat and Instagram? The users.

The platforms continue to roll out new product enhancements at a rapid clip, many coming over the last two weeks. Snapchat recently announced its own copy-cat feature, Limitless Snaps, which operates a lot like Boomerang for Instagram. Unlike Boomerang, users can decide whether or not they want their friends to see the Snap once or on repeat, and the video length can be as long as ten seconds (vs. Boomerang’s one second max).

Building on that update, Snapchat has also released Custom Stories, a new feature that allows groups of friends to participate in a single, shared story based on their location. To set one up, simply select “Create Story” and invite your friends. Beyond participating with your friends, you can also opt to invite other users into the fun if they are within one block of your geofenced location.

Not to be outdone, on the same day Snapchat unveiled Custom Stories, Instagram formally announced Story Search. Now, Instagram users can search stories from other users based on location and hashtag—another feature first seen on Snapchat. Location stories are currently available in search and Explore for iOS and Android devices with confirmation that we can expect to see Hashtag Stories to come in the following weeks.

The adoption of Story Search could continue to change how Instagram users view the platform. Remember, Instagram was made famous by its beautifully crafted photos, but it has slowly evolved into a more realistic depiction of everyday life—the same “raw” depiction of life as-it-happens that helped Snapchat rise to prominence. With more robust stories; however, users can have the best of both worlds. They can share filtered, edited and curated snapshots of their favorite moments, while still being able to connect with friends and networks via real-time content.