Facebook previously failed to lure Snapchat in with an offer of $3 billion in 2013. Evidently still raw from rejection, Facebook has blatantly ‘drawn inspiration’ from one of Snapchat’s key services, which is being launched on Instagram.
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, announced it will roll out ‘Stories’ in the coming weeks, allowing users to create a rolling slideshow of images and videos that disappear after 24 hours. The feature is nearly identical to Snapchat’s own Stories.
Mark Zuckerberg took to Facebook to announce the launch of Instagram Stories, saying it would put “video at the center of all our services.” Despite being an internet veteran, Zuckerberg asked for people to share their comments on his post, something not advisable to do even when your product isn’t controversial.
"Let us know what you think!" I think Snapchat is going to be pissed," one commenter wrote. "Snapchat-like on Facebook World.... No, I prefer the real Snapchat app, sorry," wrote another, echoing the sentiments of many who said it was not an original addition to Instagram.
Snapchat saw a sharp rise in popularity after Facebook’s failed attempt to buy it in 2013, and it is now valued at $19 billion according to Fortune. With an estimated 150 million daily users, the app has surpassed Twitter.
Before failing to acquire Snapchat in 2013 Facebook attempted to launch a rival to Snapchat with the Poke app, which was eventually pulled after just over a year in the app store.
In an interview with TechCrunch, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom admitted that Snapchat deserved the credit for Stories, but justified the decision to mimic it by comparing it to Instagram filters.
“When you are an innovator, that’s awesome. Just like Instagram deserves all the credit for bringing filters to the forefront,” Systrom said. “This isn’t about who invented something. This is about a format, and how you take it to a network and put your own spin on it.”