Facebook has already implemented a rehashed version of Snapchat Stories on Instagram. But it hasn’t yet bolted on the feature to its flaship app. Until now, that is.
The social network has announced that Facebook Stories is now a thing on its Android and iOS app, and yes, it works almost exactly like Snapchat and Instagram Stories (pictured).
No ad to show here.
Users can scroll through a horizontal list of Stories located at the top of the app’s screen (just below the notifications and search bar). It’s almost visually identical to Instagram Stories too, and will let users share ephemeral videos and snaps that will disappear in 24 hours.
At this point, you might be wondering why you currently have three apps installed to your phone that pretty much have the same feature. But Facebook’s addition actually makes sense.
Facebook Stories is exactly what it sounds like: a Snapchat clone on Facebook’s flagship app
Instagram Stories’ rapid growth is an indication that there’s viability in its creative bankruptcy. Over 150-million of Instagram’s 600-million monthly users access Stories at one point or another. With a much larger Facebook app user base, Facebook can open up yet another avenue for advertising spend.
It also helps drown out Snapchat’s ever-growing threat.
The age of Snapchat sharing
Snapchat briefly eclipse Twitter’s daily user numbers in mid-2016 based on estimates, but the network has always paled in comparison to Instagram and Facebook.
Facebook also explains to TechCrunch that the decision to build Facebook Stories was thanks to how users share on social media:
“The way people share today is different to five or even two years ago — it’s much more visual, with more photos and videos than ever before,” the company explains.
“We want to make it fast and fun for people to share creative and expressive photos and videos with whoever they want, whenever they want.”
According to Recode, Facebook Stories is currently only available in Ireland at present, but the feature will be rolled out “to the rest of the world in the coming months”.
