Instagram reportedly developing standalone messaging app

Popular video and photo sharing platform Instagram is reportedly working on a standalone app for private messages, which may lead to segregation of this feature from the core app.

The new version, which is in its pilot phase, is reportedly titled 'Direct' and will open to the camera in the same way Snapchat does.

"We want Instagram to be a place for all of your moments, and private sharing with close friends is an important part of that. Direct has grown within Instagram over the past four years, but we can make it even better if it stands on its own. We can push the boundaries to create the fastest and most creative space for private sharing when Direct is a camera-first, standalone app," said Hemal Shah, an Instagram product manager

Users of Direct can view the inbox directly on the messaging app, and will disappear subsequently from the core app. While the upcoming feature is available on Android and iOS today in six countries including Chile, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, and Uruguay, its global rollout is uncertain.