Meta testing a Snap Maps-like feature for Instagram

Instagram is working on a new feature - or, more like a "new old" feature that we've seen on Snapchat: Snap Maps. Instagram's take on Snap Maps will reportedly be called Friend Map, but it seems pretty similar to Snapchat's feature.

Christine Pai, a spokesperson for Meta, confirmed that the feature is currently being tested with a "specific group of people", so this, for now, seems to be a limited test. She did not give a region or country where the feature is being tested. It was first detected in February, but at the time, info about it was scarce.

Currently, Instagram's Friend Map only lets you share your location and text/video updates with mutual followers, or with your Close Friends list. You can't make your location and updates available to everyone (and you probably shouldn't, just saying).

Over a decade ago, Instagram offered a feature that showed your posts on a map. But this map was private and not shareable. And nobody used it, so Instagram removed it.

At the moment, it's not clear whether or not Instagram's Friend Map will be rolling out to everyone. Usually, Meta spends quite some time on testing features (which is great, we don't want bugs from rushed features), so for now, we'll have to wait.

Snapchat's feature, Snap Maps, lets you appear on a map to other Snapchat users, and you can share your location and Snaps according to your privacy settings.

It's great that Instagram is looking for ways to make itself more appealing to users. I personally think that this feature isn't the biggest innovation out there, but I feel some people may find it fun. I'd rather have an iPad app for Instagram though, but at this point, it seems Meta is not thinking the same way.