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The History of Instagram

  • Kevin Systrom creates the Burbn project

    Kevin Systrom creates the Burbn project
    Burbn was originally a location-based iPhone app which let users check in at particular locations, make plans for future check-ins, earn points for hanging out with friends, and most importantly, post pictures of the meet-ups.
  • Period: to

    Instagram

  • Kevin Systrom lands major $500,000 seed fund

    Kevin Systrom lands major $500,000 seed fund
    Burbn closed out a $500,000 seed round with Steve Anderson from Baseline Ventures.
  • Mike Krieger joins Instagram

    Mike Krieger joins Instagram
    Mike Krueger is the co-creator of Instagram. Systrom invited Krueger for a breakfast and convinced him to quit his job at Meebo to found a new tech company. They cut the unused features and simplified the app for smartphones to a social network for sharing photos. Instagram is about to be born.
  • Instagram's official launch!

    Instagram's official launch!
    Instagram is released to the public! Systrom and Krieger gave the new app to their friends (such as Twitter's Dorsey) to test - they began posting photos to social networks and buzz began to build.
  • Instagram hits over 100,000 users!

    Instagram hits over 100,000 users!
    Only one week after its launch, Instagram has over 100,000 users; proving its effectiveness.
  • Instagram hits over 1,000,000 users!

    Instagram hits over 1,000,000 users!
  • Instagram introduces hashtags #insta

    Instagram introduces hashtags #insta
    Hashtags are introduced to make it easier for people to share their lives through photos. You can search by hashtag, so if you want to to know what's going on at Creamfields festival, just search #creamfields. This feature allowed for users to interact with people they usually wouldn't have found.
  • Instagram is valued at $25 million six months after launch

    Instagram is valued at $25 million six months after launch
    Up until this point, Instagram has raised $7 million from various different investors including: Jack Dorsey (CEO of Twitter), Chris Sacca (American venture investor), Adam D'Angelo (CEO of Quora) and Benchmark Capital. Instagram is valued at approx. $25 million.
  • Instagram reaches 5 million users!

    Instagram reaches 5 million users!
  • 150 millionth photo uploaded on Instagram!

    150 millionth photo uploaded on Instagram!
  • Instagram 2.0

    Instagram 2.0
    A major new version of Instagram is released, featuring Live Filters (4 new filters included), New Camera UI and a faster engine. A new icon is introduced as well as updated interface design along with the new features.
  • Instagram reaches 10 million users!

    Instagram reaches 10 million users!
  • Launch of Weekend Hashtag Project

    Launch of Weekend Hashtag Project
    Instagram launch the Weekend Hashtag Project which is an ongoing series featuring designated themes & hashtags chosen by the Community Team at Instagram. Every Friday the weekend project is announced and on Monday Instagram showcases some of their favorite submissions from the project.
  • Instagram released on Android Phone Devices

    Instagram released on Android Phone Devices
    The popular photo app is downloaded over 1 million times in the first day of availability.
  • Facebook Buys Instagram for $1 billion

    Facebook Buys Instagram for $1 billion
    In a surprise move, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg decides to spend $1 billion on an app that had zero revenue and 13 employees. There were considerable doubts and questions asked of him at the time, but now it is recognised as one of the smartest moves that Zuckerberg ever made.
  • Instagram Re-Designs for Web

    Instagram Re-Designs for Web
    Instagram re-designed its photo pages and website so that their photos are viewable on the Web (and computers and laptops).
  • Instagram Reaches 80 Million Users

    Instagram Reaches 80 Million Users
  • Instagram v3.2

    Instagram v3.2
    The new update features the new "Willow" Filter and improved camera.
  • Instagram Updates Terms & Conditions

    Instagram Updates Terms & Conditions
    Instagram updated the terms & service agreement giving itself the right from January 16, 2013 to sell users photos to third parties with no notification or compensation.
  • Instagram v3.4.1

    Instagram v3.4.1
    The new update brings in 25 languages, satisfying Instagram's international demand.
  • Web Feed Rolls Out

    Web Feed Rolls Out
  • Instagram has over 100 million monthly active users!

    Instagram has over 100 million monthly active users!
  • Introduces photo tagging & 'Photos of You' tab

    Introduces photo tagging & 'Photos of You' tab
    This allows users to tag people in photos and allows people to accept or reject their tags. If accepted the photos appeared in a separate feed.
  • Introducing Instagram Videos

    Introducing Instagram Videos
    Users can now post videos!
  • Instagram posts can be embedded

    Instagram posts can be embedded
  • Instagram v4.1

    Instagram v4.1
    The 4.1 update added the ability to import videos from your library and trim them down. The app lets you move its square crop section around.
    The automatic straightening tool is introduced, which helps to straighten photos that are taken.
  • Instagram Reaches 150 Million Users

    Instagram Reaches 150 Million Users
  • Instagram Updates for iOS7

    Instagram Updates for iOS7
  • Instagram Adds Sponsored Videos

    Instagram Adds Sponsored Videos
  • Sponsored Post Advertising Introduced

    Sponsored Post Advertising Introduced
    Instagram introduces sponsored post advertising in the U.S.
  • Instagram Direct Introduced

    Instagram Direct Introduced
    Direct messaging is introduced. Direct is a feature that allows users to message anyone directly in the app, effectively competing against other messaging services.
  • Instagram Reaches 200 million monthly active users!

    Instagram Reaches 200 million monthly active users!
  • New Photo Editing Tools

    New Photo Editing Tools
    Instagram releases 10 individual adjustment tools including: Crop and Straighten, Brightness, Contrast, Warmth (white balance), Saturation, Highlights, Shadows, Vignette and Sharpen.
    Each tool includes a slider interface to adjust the strength of the adjustment.
  • Instagram Reaches 300 Million Active Monthly Users

    Instagram Reaches 300 Million Active Monthly Users
  • Instagram Advertising Goes Global

    Instagram Advertising Goes Global
    Instagram's advertising not only goes global but increases in its power, prompting users to install apps, link to a retailer's site to purchase products and sign up to email newsletters.
  • Instagram Reaches 400 Million Active Monthly Users

    Instagram Reaches 400 Million Active Monthly Users
  • Launch of Boomerang!

    Launch of Boomerang!
    The new function, Boomerang, allows the person to shoot a burst of five, one-second photos that is transformed into a silent video that plays and reverses in a loop.
  • Changes Its New Feed Formulation

    Changes Its New Feed Formulation
    Instagram changes its feed from being organised chronologically to algorithmically.
  • Logo Update of Instagram

    Logo Update of Instagram
  • Instagram Reaches 500 Million Monthly Active Users

    Instagram Reaches 500 Million Monthly Active Users
  • Instagram "Stories" Feature Introduced

    Instagram "Stories" Feature Introduced
    Allows users to share as much as they want throughout the day by posting photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours and that don't appear on their profile or their feed.
    Users will see people that they follow in a bar at the top of their feed.
    Instagram Stories have taken over Snapchat stories in popularity.
  • Launch of Live Stream video

    Launch of Live Stream video
    The new feature allows users to broadcast events live on Instagram, for max one hour. The Live videos are not saved, disappearing once the user is done broadcasting.
  • Instagram Reaches 600 Million Monthly Active Users

    Instagram Reaches 600 Million Monthly Active Users
  • Multiple Photos Per Post

    Multiple Photos Per Post
    Another new feature is added to Instagram's arsenal, allowing users to add multiple photos to one post. Viewers can swipe left to view the multiple photos.