Instagram Notes now allows sharing music and seeing translations
Last year, Instagram surprised its users with Notes. Now, the company has decided to update Notes with a set of new features. The updated Notes will support music and translations, making it more than just a text-based product. Instagram hopes the new features will increase the popularity of Notes. Let's take a look at how the new features work.
Why does this story matter?
Instagram Notes arrived without much fanfare last December. It surprised many and signaled a change in Instagram's approach. Notes reminded everyone of Twitter and AIM away messages. The similarities weren't accidental. According to the New York Times, the company considered using Notes to challenge Twitter. However, with its Twitter clone nearing arrival, that may not be required.
Users can add 30-second song clips to Notes
Till now, Instagram Notes only supported adding texts and emojis. With the new update, users will be able to share a 30-second clip of a song via Notes. Users can add a text caption next to the track. The company hopes people will use Music Notes to share how they feel. Friends can click on the Note to listen to the snippet.
Instagram Notes can be translated now
Text translation is a common feature across Instagram, including in Post descriptions, comments, and Reels. Now, the feature is arriving in Notes. Notes Translations allows users to translate a Note in another language to their own by tapping 'See Translation.' The company has started rolling out the new features globally. However, users may not see them immediately.
Teenagers are the biggest fans of Instagram Notes
The reaction to Instagram Notes has been mixed so far. Some groups have found it interesting, while others haven't. According to Instagram, teenagers seemed to have developed a liking for the feature. They post Notes 10 times more than other users. The addition of music will only improve the feature's adoption among teens. They won't need to type lyrics anymore.
Instagram is shifting its focus to text-based products
Notes are a part of Instagram's changing approach to text-based products. Once only focused on products that can challenge TikTok, Instagram is slowly moving away from that. The company's Twitter rival is still in development. Instagram could be using Notes to test how users receive a text-based product from it. It needs to be seen what happens to Notes when the new app arrives.
