Fandroids rejoice: You'll be able to start snapping those retro, stylized squares with your smartphone cameras soon. We've finally got some definitive proof that Instagram is coming to Android.
Yesterday at SXSW Interactive in Austin, Texas, the app's co-founder Kevin Systrom briefly flashed the Android version of the massively popular photo-sharing app onstage. Unfortunately, no stolen screens have emerged and Systrom never gave a full demo of the app. He told TechCrunch that the app wasn't ready for a walkthrough yet.
But he did offer an enticing tidbit for Android users, telling a TechCrunch editor in a fireside chat, "In some ways, it's better than our iOS app. It's crazy."
Instagram reportedly started hiring engineers and designers for an Android version as far back as August last year. In December, accounts surfaced that two people were working on the app.
Co-founder Mike Krieger told TechCrunch that the process of porting the app over to Google's mobile OS was protracted because the company had been prioritizing the scaling of its iPhone app. “Had we tried to be both on Android and the iPhone at the same time, it would have been tough to innovate in the way that we have," Krieger said.
Indeed, no one can discount the tremendous success of the company. Yesterday at the conference, Instagram revealed that it had surpassed 27 million registered users. Expect that number to grow exponentially as soon as the app becomes available on Android.
via TechCrunch
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