It feels like every few months we get this same exact headline – Instagram will do something that brings it ever closer to becoming a fully realized Snapchat clone. This time around, Instagram is announcing that its DM (direct messaging) system, which if you remember was also ‘borrowed’ from Snapchat, would exist as its own standalone application.
If that confuses you, think back to a few years ago when Facebook Messenger existed within the Facebook application, only for it to be turned into the standalone app Messenger that it is today. As it stands, only a few markets have this new app Direct rolled out while Instagram continues to experiment. Also important to note that installing Direct will remove the inbox feature from your Instagram.
Per Instagram product Manager Hemal Shah, “We want Instagram to be a place for all of your moments, and private sharing with close friends is an important part of that. Direct has grown within Instagram over the past four years, but we can make it even better if it stands on its own. We can push the boundaries to create the fastest and most creative space for private sharing when Direct is a camera-first, standalone app.” 
If you’re in Chile, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, or Urugauy feel free to try this new app out today!
H/T: The Verge
