Instagram is working on a photo function that is reminiscent of the BeReal app

Instagram is working on a new feature that will allow users to share unexpected photo opportunities on the social network. The function was given the name IG Candid and the design is very similar to that of the BeReal app.

Developer and reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi discovered that the IG Candid feature is hidden in the Instagram app. He shared a first screenshot on Twitter and it shows that when Instagram users participate in the so-called IG Candid Challenges, they see a notification with an assignment at a different time every day. They must then share a photo within two minutes to complete the IG Candid Challenge. A second screenshot shows that participants of the IG Candid Challenge can only take photos with the cameras on the front and back of a smartphone active.

After the discovery, the editors of the American tech website The Verge contact on with Instagram. It was reported that the company is indeed working on the feature. “It is an internal prototype that is by no means tested outdoors,” it sounded. It is not clear whether Instagram also wants to roll out the feature.

According to Paluzzi, the setup of the IG Candid function is very similar to that of the BeReal app. This app shows its users a notification at certain times of the day with the instruction to capture an ‘authentic’ photo moment and share it with other BeReal users. As with the IG Candid Challenge, users must use both the front and back cameras of their smartphones to take a photo.

It’s not the first time Instagram has tested or copied features from competing apps. In 2020, Meta’s subsidiary introduced the Reels feature, which was supposed to help the platform compete with TikTok. Reels are short videos of about fifteen seconds that are intended for dances or acts. In 2021, Instagram introduced the Remix feature. This allowed reactions to be filmed based on an original video.