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Instagram Enhances Direct Messaging with Nicknames, Live Location Sharing, and New Stickers
Instagram has unveiled a variety of innovative features for its direct messaging (DM) system, enhancing the way users interact with one another. The platform aims to enrich the experience of connecting with friends by enabling more personalized communication options. Notable updates include the introduction of nicknames and a live location sharing capability. These enhancements follow previous upgrades that provided filters for message requests and an option to turn off automatic feed refreshing.
Instagram has elaborated on the new features in an announcement. A key improvement is the ability for users to personalize their chats by incorporating nicknames. This function, accessible by tapping the profile within the chat, allows users to choose who has permission to modify these nicknames. The three available options are: everyone in the chat, individuals you follow, or exclusively yourself. It is important to note that nicknames are exclusively visible in DMs and do not alter the username visible elsewhere on the app.
Furthermore, a team was able to confirm that the nicknames function is operational on the Instagram app for Android, though it has yet to be verified on iOS devices.
Another exciting addition is the live location sharing feature, which functions similarly to the location sharing on Snapchat's Snap Map. Users can share their real-time location for a duration of up to one hour, after which the information automatically expires. This feature allows users to mark a location on the map, aiding friends in locating them in busy areas. It's available only in DMs for either one-on-one or group chats and is disabled by default, rolling out progressively in select areas.
On top of these features, Instagram is launching an impressive collection of 17 new sticker packs, boasting over 300 stickers for use within DMs. Users can select their preferred options stickers from conversations or to recycle stickers made from cutouts or shared by friends.
