After Instagram debuted their Snapchat-biting Stories feature back in August, most of us had the same question: When the hell are we getting live video on the 'gram? If CEO Kevin Systrom's recent comments to the Financial Times are any indication, Instagram might be hitting us with it very soon.
"Live is really exciting for us," Systrom told the Times Thursday. "I think it can enhance what we're doing. If I'm trying to strengthen relationships with someone I love, them streaming video to me live would be an amazing way to be closer to them." The imminent launch of live video, Systrom added, is simply part of Instagram's dedication to becoming social media users' go-to destination for all their photo and video needs.
"Our mission is not to be a camera app, it's not to just take pretty photos," Systrom said. Since Stories launched in August, the feature has hit an estimated 100 million daily users and received its first major update this week. "If you're the CEO of a company and all of a sudden 100 million people are using a new format every single day, it's not something you ignore," Systrom told the Times. "You push investment into it."
As live video features previously launched on Facebook and Twitter have shown, the ability to stream any given event proves particularly useful during times of protest. Let's get this live video rolling on Instagram ASAP, Kevin Systrom. We could really use it, like, yesterday.
