Instagram started as a simple photo app with filters. Today it is one of the world’s biggest platforms for creators and brands.
Key milestones
- 2010: Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launch Instagram on iPhone. It gains a million users in about two months.
- 2012: Android launch. Facebook acquires Instagram for about $1 billion.
- 2013: Video posts and Direct messages arrive.
- 2016: Stories launch and the feed switches from chronological to algorithmic ranking. Business profiles arrive.
- 2018: IGTV launches; Instagram passes one billion monthly users.
- 2019–2020: Like counts tested as hidden; Reels launches in 2020, including in India after TikTok’s ban.
- 2021–2022: Focus shifts heavily to Reels and video. Creator monetisation tools expand.
- 2023: Threads launches as a text-based companion app. Broadcast channels arrive.
- 2024 onward: More AI features, teen account protections and a continued push on Reels and messaging.
What has stayed the same
Visual storytelling, community and creators at the centre.
What it means for you
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