It’s been dubbed the ‘anti-Instagram’ app, but it seems that BeReal has competition – from Instagram.
BeReal prompts users to take an unfiltered photo every day via the app’s camera, which snaps a selfie and a photo using the rear camera simultaneously.
Rather than letting users endlessly retake their photos to catch their best angle, the app gives users just two minutes to get the shot.
Now, it seems that Instagram wants a slice of the action and is testing a copycat feature called ‘Candid Challenges’.
The Candid Challenges feature was spotted by developer Alessandro Paluzzi, who tweeted about it yesterday
BeReal prompts users to take an unfiltered photo every day via the app’s camera, which snaps a selfie and a photo using the rear camera simultaneously
The Candid Challenges feature was spotted by developer Alessandro Paluzzi, who tweeted about it yesterday.
‘Instagram is working on IG Candid Challenges, a feature inspired by BeReal,’ he tweeted, alongside a screenshot of what the feature looks like.
The screenshot itself reads: ‘Join IG Candid Challenges. Add other’s IG Candid to your story tray. And everyday at a different time, get a notification to capture and share a Photo in 2 Minutes.’
In response to the tweet, Meta spokeswoman Christine Pai said that IG Candid is an ‘internal prototype’ and is not being tested externally yet.
BeReal was created in January 2020 by Alexis Barreyat, a developer based in Paris.
‘Alexis Barreyat founded BeReal to stay in touch with his friends,’ BeReal explained in a statement shared with MailOnline.
‘It is a place where real life is captured, free from the need to create, cultivate and amass influence.
‘By not focusing on followers, likes and filters, BeReal connects users with spontaneity and authenticity.’
The premise is simple – everyday at a different time, users are notified to capture and share a photo in two minutes.
Users must use the in-app camera, which simultaneously snaps a photo with the front and rear facing cameras.
Many BeReal fans have taken to Twitter to vent their frustrations at Instagram’s Candid Challenges test
Like other social media apps, you can follow friends and see their photos in your main feed.
Alternatively, you can search through a Discovery page, where you can explore photos taken by users you do not follow.
Many BeReal fans have taken to Twitter to vent their frustrations at Instagram’s Candid Challenges test.
One user tweeted: ‘”Instagram is working on a feature inspired by BeReal.” By inspired did you mean stolen?’
BeReal was created by developers based in Paris and describes itself as the ‘simplest photo sharing app’
Another added: ‘Bruh they just keep copying…first Snapchat with Stories, TikTok with Reels, and now BeReal with this. Probably others I’m forgetting too. It just shows how insecure Instagram is in its username, always wanting to have a piece of the latest cake.’
And one joked: ‘As Instagram tests another feature “cloned” from another app, I can’t help wondering how many engineers working at Meta are having brilliant, original ideas put on ice as a result of the companies fear.’
This isn’t the first time in recent weeks that Instagram has been accused of copying features from rival apps.
Last month, Instagram was heavily criticised by celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen and Kylie Jenner for ‘copying’ TikTok with vertical videos.
Following the uproar, Instagram made the decision to roll back the update – at least for now.
HOW HAVE FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM COPIED SNAPCHAT OVER THE YEARS?
March 2016 – Filters
One of the first signs Facebook was copying Snapchat was in March 2016 when it bought MSQRD, an app that overlays silly live filters to your selfies.
The app lets users apply filters to their faces – similar to Snapchat ‘Lens’ filters.
One of the first signs Facebook was copying Snapchat was in March 2016 when it bought MSQRD, an app that overlays silly live filters to your selfies. The app lets users apply filters to their faces (pictured right) – similar to Snapchat ‘Lens’ filters (pictured left)
April 2016 – QR codes
In April of last year, Facebook added QR codes to profiles in Messenger.
Snapchat uses QR codes to allow people to add other users without having to search.
December 2016 – Location-based filters and in-app camera
Facebook introduced custom location-based camera filters that overlay pictures and videos – similar to Snapchat’s ‘geo-filters’.
Users build ‘frames’ on any design platform, submit them to Facebook and then friends nearby will have access to the creations.
In the same month, a ‘Messenger Camera’ was designed to make it quicker to capture and share photos and videos without having to dip out of a conversations – a feature that already existed on Snapchat.
In December, Facebook introduced custom location-based camera filters (pictured right) that overlay pictures and videos – similar to Snapchat’s ‘geo-filters’ (pictured left)
March 2017 – Stories
In March, Facebook introduced Facebook Stories along with two other new Snapchat-like features – Facebook Camera and Direct.
Facebook Stories highlights decorative content in a horizontal layout over News Feed that disappears in 24 hours – just like Snapchat Stories.
Facebook Stories (pictured right) highlights decorative content in a horizontal layout over News Feed that disappears in 24 hours – just like Snapchat Stories (pictured left)
The section in the app called ‘Direct’ appears to be very similar to Snapchat’s feed for one-to-one group messaging.
The update encourages users to use Facebook’s camera feature and also lets them put friends’ stories at the top of their News Feed.
In the same month it also introduced ‘Messenger Day’, which lets user share photos and videos with illustrated filters and stickers that vanish in 24 hours – just like Snapchat Stories.
November 2017 – Streaks
In November, Facebook copied Snapchat by testing a new feature that encourages friends to send messages back and forth for consecutive days.
Like ‘Snapstreaks’ on Snapchat, Facebook Messenger ‘Streaks’ have emoji next to the name of anyone who users are regularly messaging.
According to Facebook, this will encourage users to ‘keep your streak going’.
In March, Facebook introduced ‘Messenger Day’, which lets user share photos and videos with illustrated filters and stickers that vanish in 24 hours – just like Snapchat Stories
January 2018 – Screenshots
In January, Instagram, the Facebook-owned app, began testing a feature that lets your followers know if you’ve taken a sneaky screenshot of their Story.
The Snapchat-inspired feature is expected to launch on the picture-sharing platform soon and is currently being trialled in Japan.
May 2018 – Bitmoji
As with Filters, Snaps, and Stories, Facebook revealed it is duplicating the Bitmoji feature used on Snapchat.
Within the code of Facebook’s Android app, developers have found an unreleased functionality that lets users ‘build personalized, illustrated versions of themselves for use as stickers in Messenger and comments.’
November 2021 – Rage Shake
Instagram copied Snapchat with the launch of a feature called ‘Rage Shake’.
Users just need to shake their phone with the Instagram app open and a little pop-up appears that lets them report an annoying technical issue.
It’s very similar to Snapchat’s ‘Shake to Report’, which already lets users shake their smartphone to report a bug.
<!—->
Advertisement
