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CBS News will feature Instagram Stories in debate coverage
Monday's US Presidential debates are shaping up to be the most easily streamable live TV in history, with options ranging from Twitter and YouTube to Facebook Live and Snapchat. Not wanting to be left out of the party, Instagram and CBS News have announced a new partnership that will make CBSN the first network to feature Instagram Stories in live coverage.
Instagram Stories fights Snapchat by recommending users to follow
Instagram Stories' feature updates are no longer quite in lockstep with Snapchat's. It's gradually rolling out an update to the Explore section that displays a bar of Stories from people Instagram thinks you want to follow based on both your existing contacts and your favorite topics. The addition could give you extra Stories clips to watch even when your usual Instagram friends aren't up to snuff. The concept isn't entirely new (Snapchat's featured Stories are slightly similar), but it's uniquely tailored to you -- you're not just getting the same editor's picks as everyone else.
Instagram Stories' camera controls catch up to Snapchat
Instagram isn't shy about wanting to go toe-to-toe with Snapchat through Stories, and that now includes camera features, too. Updates for both the Android and iOS versions of Instagram let you swipe up and down to zoom while you're recording a video, much as you would in that other social app. The iOS version, at least, also lets you double-tap to switch cameras in mid-clip like its Snapchat counterpart. No, it's not exactly a subtle tweak -- but it makes sense if Instagram is going to poach Snapchatters that may take their camera controls for granted.
Instagram Stories arrive on the web thanks to a Chrome extension
While we wait to see if Instagram will bring its new Snapchat-like Stories feature to the web, someone has already created a workaround. Thanks to Alec Garcia's Chrome IG Story extension, you can view those posts from the comforts of your browser. Sure, you'll have to use Google Chrome in order to make it happen, but once you activate the add-on, Instagram stories will appear atop your feed just like they do in the mobile app.
Instagram's 'Stories' feature looks a lot like Snapchat's
How do you fight an immensely popular social app like Snapchat? For Instagram, it's by copying one of Snapchat's most popular features: stories. "Instagram Stories" lets you post as many photos and videos as you'd like in a slideshow format. And you won't have to worry about them hurting your meticulously curated Instagram feed, as the stories will disappear in 24 hours (that sure does sound familiar!).
