Instagram is discontinuing its Snapchat-like ‘Direct’ messaging app and will be moving users’ messages back to the main app.
According to a report by techcrunch.com, social media commentator Matt Navarra first spotted the announcement, telling users that the Direct app will no longer be supported in the coming month and that conversations will be automatically moved to the Instagram app.
Instagram is already killing its standalone Direct messaging app? @mosseri ? pic.twitter.com/sr0c90PzEc
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) May 15, 2019
The message in the app reads: “In the coming month, we’ll no longer be supporting the Direct app. Your conversations will automatically move over to Instagram, so you don’t need to do anything.”
Confirmed: Instagram is killing its standalone Direct Messaging app pic.twitter.com/owt2gXtfCE
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) May 16, 2019
The app was first released last December 2017 in some countries including Chile, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Uruguay, and a select number of markets for testing but were never rolled out in other countries.
An Instagram confirmed the reports, saying: “We’re rolling back the test of the standalone Direct app. We’re focused on continuing to make Instagram Direct the best place for fun conversations with your friends.”
(Photo source: theusbport.com/ Twitter – @MattNavarra)
