Instagram is likely testing Direct, a new messaging app

Instagram appears to be all set to launch its own standalone app for direct messaging. It will reportedly be rolled out to both the Android and iOS users in select countries such as Turkey, Italy, Portugal, Israel, Chile, and Uruguay for testing.

According to a report by The Verge, this new standalone direct messaging app for Instagram will be called Direct app. The new Direct app will have a structure that is similar to Snapchat. On opening this app, the camera pane will open and emphasize users to create new content such as photos and videos for sharing. The camera is said to be identical to the one on Instagram with four new and exclusive filters too.

A left swipe on the camera interface will show the account and settings option while a right swipe will show the list of chats. This is the same that we have seen in the Instagram app as well.

On installing the Direct app, Instagram will stop displaying chats and a left swipe will show the swift animation that will redirect users to the Direct app. Similar to this, on swiping left from the Direct's inbox, users can come to Instagram.

The new Direct app is a simple and straightforward one. All it does is just pull out the messaging service off the Instagram app. It is similar to what Facebook did in the past by rolling out the Messenger app.

Given that Instagram is owned by Facebook, it is worth mentioning that Facebook now has three such messaging apps - new Direct, Messenger and WhatsApp. While WhatsApp is still a messaging platform, Messenger offers a different experience to the users with payment options, bots, ability to make phone calls, and play games within the Messenger itself.

Instagram appears to call Direct as a camera first messaging service but it is yet to be known which direction this new app will take. Even it is rolled out to all the users, the new Direct app will be in the experimental phase right now.