Facebook-ownedphoto sharing social platform Instagram has reportedly launched its own walkie-talkie feature. With this,the users can now communicate through voice messages.
Users can hold down the microphone button to record a short voice message that appears in as an audio wave form that recipients can then listen to at their leisure. Voice messages are up to one-minute long, stay permanently listenable rather than disappearing.
Being one of the most popular social media apps, hands-free Direct messaging could make Instagram a more appealing chat app for drivers, people on the move with their hands full or users in the developing world who want a more intimate connection to pay for the data for long audio or video calls.
The launch hold down deepens Facebook’s entry into the voice market. From its first voice messaging and wave form back in 2013 to its new voice control system Aloha.
The feature also offersan off-camera asynchronous alternative to thevideocalling feature Instagram released in June. It will have to compete with Viber, Zello andTelegram, as well as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp for the use case.