Screenshots shared by Paluzzi show the familiar message box where you can reply to user stories, but with one change: one screenshot includes an image icon and another has a microphone icon along with the “GIF” icon that was already present. Obviously, users can click on these icons to reply to Stories with either an image or a voice message. #Instagram works to respond to Picture Stories 👀 pic.twitter.com/1mpaDstcZw – Alessandro Paluzzi (@ alex193a) March 26, 2022 #Instagram works to respond to Voice Stories 👀 pic.twitter.com/6fQNSxB04e – Alessandro Paluzzi (@ alex193a) March 26, 2022 In February, the platform released a feature that allowed users to like other users’ stories without reacting to it in DM format. Until then, the only way to react to a story was to send an instant message to the user in the text box displayed at the bottom of the stories (or using predefined emojis, GIFS, or stickers that gave the same effect). The new “I like the private Story” can be viewed by the user who received them in the history view section of the application. The rumored new image response feature will complement the existing features and give more options to users who want to respond to Stories in creative ways. These features also fit well into Instagram’s long-term agenda to move away from just being a photo-sharing app. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, spoke about the company’s priorities in a video posted on his Twitter account in June 2021. In the video, he highlighted the four main areas in which Instagram focuses: creators, videos, shopping and messaging. Changes are coming to the video on Instagram 📺 At Instagram we are always trying to create new features that help you make the most of your experience. We are currently focusing on four key areas: Creators, Videos, Shopping and Messaging. pic.twitter.com/ezFp4hfDpf – Adam Mosseri (@mosseri) June 30, 2021 The rumored voice and image response features will fit in well with Instagram pushing to encourage more creators, video content and messaging on the platform.
