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Meta isn’t done trying to compete with BeReal. The Instagram owner is reportedly working on a new feature similar to BeReal’s casual selling point. Meta has been testing the “Peek” feature for some time now. Initially, according to reports from reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, the function was called “Quick Snap.” Paluzzi’s posts to X, formerly Twitter, on the subject date back to August 2023, so Instagram has been tooling and retooling for some time now. According to Paluzzi’s posts, Peek requires users to take pictures with the in-app camera. There’s no choice of an image from a device’s gallery and no opportunity to edit photos or add filters. The hyper-casual approach is what helped the app BeReal set itself apart. Ever since, social media competitors like TikTok have tried replicating that magic. And Instagram is undoubtedly no stranger to taking inspiration from competitors. After all, it infamously copied Snapchat’s Stories while the latter took off. And once TikTok became the social media app du jour, Instagram launched its similar Reels posts. #Instagram keeps working on “Quick Snap”, which is now called “Peek” 👀 pic.twitter.com/olFiIlFBoD — Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) April 24, 2024
Beyond merely borrowing from BeReal’s signature concept, Peek is similar to another feature Instagram tested, TechCrunch notes. Back in 2022, the outlet adds, Instagram began testing the “Candid Stories” feature. It prompted users to share photos taken with the front and back cameras simultaneously — much like BeReal. At the time, Meta said it was testing a similar tool for Facebook. However, it doesn’t appear Candid Stories ever made it out of the testing stage. Peek isn’t a complete replica, though. It doesn’t seem as strict as BeReal or Candid Stories, which focus on timed prompts. But, like BeReal, users can only view a Peek post once before it disappears. It’s unclear whether Instagram will fully roll Peek out to users, especially considering how long the social media company has been working on things. Still, thanks to Paluzzi, Instagram users can check out what the Peek introductory screen looks like, which could also change if Instagram eventually pushes it out to the masses. #Instagram continues to work on “Peek” 👀 ℹ️One tap to capture and sendReal pics – no edits, no filtersView once and it’s gone Here’s the introductory screen 👇 pic.twitter.com/G0nsvHpwwO — Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) May 13, 2024 But it’s odd timing. TikTok already killed its BeReal-inspired feature TikTok Now. And BeReal seems past its peak. Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
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