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I’ve been a big proponent of Instagram ever since the service first launched. A social network centered around using photos to share your daily life, it was a great way to get a peek into your friends and families lives visually. There’s no question when Instagram first launched, its main draw was that it was easy for the casual smartphone user to make their photos look great using simple filters, or other light edits. But that’s where the photo editing stopped.
New photo editing tools!
Today, Instagram is announcing their all new version 6.0, and it’s as big of an update as they come. Typically, photo perfectionist would go into the photo editing app of their choice (Snapseed, VSCO Came, etc.) and make edits, save those edits, then upload that photo to Instagram. No anymore. With Instagram 6.0’s new photo editing tools, users can now make basic edits to their photographs, adjusting the warmth, brightness, contrast, or saturation of their images before they apply filters. What’s more is the photo filters can now be adjusted on their own, giving users the ability to adjust the intensity for a more subdued filter.
There’s still more work to be done
These new options are much welcomed for sure. But there’s still more work to be done. Despite 1080p smartphones becoming the norm nowadays (and quad HD fast approaching), Instagram still only displays photos in a lower resolution. While this may sound perfect for iOS devices, the world has since moved on from sub-720p. I mean, this is a photo app after all. It’s 2014. Would it kill Instagram to up the resolution even a little bit for full HD devices?
Click image for full view
Also, you may have noticed that no matter how amazing your 15 gigapixel Android camera is, photos you’ve uploaded end up looking like they’ve been snapped with a potato. Turns out the Android version of the app compresses images to a hideous, pixel-ie mess, a problem we should note is not present in the iOS version. The result? Your friends and family gloating over how much better the photos they’ve taken with their iPhone 4 look compared to your Galaxy S5.
Update: Confirmed. Quality of upload photos is still as worse as ever, even after the new 6.0 update. Wonderful.
We’re not sure entirely sure why the favoritism, but even with countless updates, Instagram has failed to do a damn thing about this issue for years now. Until they do something about this — and it’s possible Instagram 6.0 could have fixed this issue — no amount of photo editing or filters will help your Android photos look like anything more than 16-bit.
We’re anxiously awaiting Instagram 6.0 to hit the Google Play Store. You can update as soon as it goes live via the link below.
Download/update on Google Play: Instagram 6.0
Sorry, I have to disagree. Instagram cannot make a crappy photo look good, but a quality photo properly exposed will look just fine on Instagram. If you don’t believe it, check the following page: imaginephotographymiami while it may not display in HD a decent photo will show 1000% better than most of the crap uploaded on instagram. Of course I would like if they would improve the resolution, but I have no problem the way it is now. Just dont expect your junk photos to look great
Didn’t have a problem with it before, and don’t have too much of a problem with it now.
Just saying I think it’s time they finally up the resolution. Sure crappy pics will still look crappy, but better ones will look better.
maybe start an online petition for them to allow higher resolution photos from android users? I’m game.
I agree I thought something was wrong when I posted some really good photos that just look crappy on my phone or anybody with a really good phone. This also happens on Facebook sometimes. But never on twitter. Sucks but at least it’d not me
APK!
Is there finally a pinch to zoom feature? Is there anyway to download photos from it? If none of these features have yet to be implemented, then this is nothing but a simple makeover.
I’d recommend trying out Phonegram for Instagram viewing. It has a nice grid view, allows you to download photos, and makes sharing on Hangouts SUPER easy.
True Instagram has been using low res images for far too long now and this is the reason why I don’t use the service. When they finally up the resolution of photos I may consider using the service, but until then just keep checking the updates to see whats new.
I think we all forgot how long it took instagram to even appear on Android. Android will always be 2nd to Instagram and their iPhone love is obvious. I noticed since FB bought them updates have been coming down the pipe more often but still we’re second to last.