This photo sharing application has changed hands several times since its birth, and has since launched new features. Its development process can be called a thought-provoking microcosm of the mobile Internet era.
The birth and early rise of applications
This app was originally launched on the iOS platform in 2010. It targeted the pain point of the cumbersome photo sharing process on mobile phones at that time. It allowed users to quickly beautify photos and share them with one click. Its operation is extremely convenient. In April 2012, it launched the Android version, which quickly attracted a large number of new users, and its downloads increased sharply in the Google App Store. This marked its move from a niche toy for Apple users to a mainstream mainstream platform.
In the early stages of development, the app had this form, and its core appeal lay in the variety of preset artistic filters and social attributes. For users, ordinary photos can be given a unique style without the need for complicated editing operations. Such a simple but interesting experience quickly formed a trend among young people, and users' own active sharing became the main driving force for the growth of this application.
Sky-high acquisitions in the capital market
The application grew rapidly, quickly attracting the attention of technology giants. On April 10, 2012, the social giant Facebook announced that it would acquire it for a total of US$1 billion in cash and stock. This transaction shocked the industry because at that time, the application had almost no clear profit model. However, what Facebook valued was its large young user base and the potential for social sharing.
However, this transaction is just the beginning of its capital story. A few months later, on October 25, 2012, Facebook's competitor, the photo-based social platform company that was then in its heyday, acquired it in a cash and stock deal valued at approximately $715 million. It changed owners twice in just half a year, and its valuation remained high, highlighting the scarcity value of its user assets in the market at that time.
Huge controversy over privacy policy
In December 2012, when the acquisition turmoil had just calmed down, the application’s user agreement was updated, once again pushing it to the forefront. Some of the statements in the new terms have been widely interpreted to mean that platforms have the right to use users’ photos in advertisements and even sell them to third parties. This triggered massive user outcry and a crisis of trust.
Faced with the turbulent public opinion, the company's management quickly launched a public clarification, clearly stating that the new terms were not originally intended to sell user photos, and that user portraits would not be used directly in advertisements. The company promised to revise the relevant wording to protect user privacy. The storm eventually subsided, but it also taught all social platforms a public lesson on user trust and terms transparency.
Expand the platform and obtain official recognition
In order to cover a wider range of users, the application is actively expanding towards other operating systems. In October 2013, Nokia announced that it would enter its own Windows Phone market, and officially released the WP8 version in November of the same year. Although this move did not significantly change the current mobile ecological structure, it reflected its strategy of pursuing growth across all platforms.
This app has been fully recognized by the market. In December 2015, Apple selected it as the "Best App in the App Store" in its annual selection. This award is not only an honor, but also a high recognition of its product design, user experience and market influence, thus consolidating its position in the App Store.
Launching security features to address new challenges
As the problems of fake news and fake accounts on social platforms have become more and more obvious, the application promoted new security protection measures in August 2018. An important update area here is to help certain official accounts, such as government departments, media organizations, famous trademarks or public figures, apply for and display blue certification marks.
The function of this certification mark is to help users quickly identify the authority of information sources, thereby reducing the risk of being misled by false accounts. It means that the application, from being just an ordinary entertainment tool, has begun to take on more important platform responsibilities, trying to play a more credible role in the information dissemination ecosystem.
Looking back on the experience of this application, it has grown from a simple photography tool to a global platform, and every step of its development is closely related to the needs and challenges of the times. In your opinion, in the current era when short videos have become mainstream, what is the greatest core value of this kind of social application that uses static images as its core? Welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comment area. If you feel that the article has inspired you, please also like and share it.
