New Instagram for Windows 10 is the First Project Islandwood App
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Unlike other popular services and social networks, Instagram has its own Windows Phone app. But even if the app was released more than 2 years ago for Windows Phone, it’s still in beta. However, a new Instagram app for Windows 10 has been spotted in the Windows Store, and users can now download it to their Windows 10 Mobile devices.
While the new app is also in closed beta, you won’t be able to find it through the Windows 10 Store search. However, Windows Blog Italia — the first to point the app out — provides a download link so you can start using it on your Windows 10 Mobile device right now.
Instagram for Windows 10 is a Project Islandwood app
What’s specific about the new Instagram app is that it’s one of the first Project Islandwood apps in the Windows Store. For those unfamiliar, Project Islandwood is a port for Windows 10 that allows developers to transfer iOS apps to a Universal platform. And this Instagram app is exactly that: an iOS app ported to Windows 10 Mobile.
A couple of days ago, we saw the first Project Centennial test apps in the Store. Joining it is Project Islandwood’s app, showing that Microsoft is going in the right direction with these two ports. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with Project Astoria — probably the most anticipated port of them all.
Unsurprisingly, the design of the app is similar to the iOS version. It is a ported app, after all. On the plus side, the app now has more recognizable, natural Instagram look, something it lacked in its previous version.
All buttons are now at the bottom and there’s a section for private photos which wasn’t available in Instagram Beta for Windows Phone 8.1. The Explore section has been changed to be more similar to Android and iOS versions.
This is an official Instagram app because it was posted by Instagram’s official account in the Windows Store. We hope this app will complete the closed beta phase earlier than its Windows Phone 8.1 counterpart and that we’ll be able to use full version of the app as soon as possible.
We tried to download and test the app, but it keeps crashing on our Lumia 535. If you manage to launch it, please share your experience with us in the comments below!
