Finally! Instagram for Windows Phone has arrived! But is this something that will excite Windows Phone users?  Or is it just a half-baked app meant to tease WP users?

Many would say that Instagram has become so popular that it’s now a vital component of the mobile and social ecosystem, and any platform that does not have a native Instagram app is missing out on a lot.  If “a lot” means Windows Phone users aren’t contributing to the growing population of filtered-photos, emo selfies, and/or overly dramatic shots of people’s food or venti iced caramel macchiato, then yes, Windows Phone is missing out on a lot of things.

Instagram originally launched for iOS, then eventually landed on Android, before it got acquired by Facebook, and now, after years of waiting, it’s finally available for Windows Phone users.  But is it able to deliver the same Instagram experience iOS and Android users are enjoying?

First let’s look at the features.  The app features custom designed filters such as XPro-II, Earlybird, Rise, Amaro, Hudson, Lo-fi, Sutro, Toaster, Brannan, Inkwell, Walden, Hefe, Nashville, 1977, and others; Linear and Radial Tilt-Shift blur effects for extra depth of field; Instant sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr and Foursquare; Unlimited uploads; Interact with friends through giving & receiving likes and comments; and Full front & back camera support.  Looks decent enough, right?

So why do some people (such as TechCrunch and TechHive) insist that Instagram for Windows Phone sucks?

Confusing UI

On iOS and Android, when you launch Instagram, you’re greeted with the home screen. You then click on the image button to launch the Instagram camera to take photos.  If you want to use an existing photo in your phone gallery, you click on the icon for the gallery. On Instagram for Windows Phone, when you click on the image button, you will be directed to the image gallery, to access the camera, you press on the small camera shutter button at the bottom.  This launches the device’s camera, not a camera feature on Instagram.

Some early users did not find the camera button immediately and were quick to say that the Instagram app has no capture image functionality.  You can’t really blame them as even the app itself did not provide instructions on how to find the said feature.

Misleading features

The app in the Windows Phone app store listed “Video recording with breathtaking cinematic stabilization” as one of the app’s features but that feature is not yet available in this version. It is preceded by an asterisk but no explanation was given as to why that was placed.  You will only find out that the feature doesn’t exist after you download and run the app.

Instagram BETA

In the Windows Phone app store, it is clearly stated that the app is a beta version, correction, BETA.  The emphasis on BETA is really needed as quite a few features available on the Android and iOS versions are missing.  The problem here is, when Instagram announced the launch of the app on its blog, it failed to mention that it is still in beta.  There’s no problem with beta apps as it usually means the app will be greatly improved in the long run.  The problem is, Instagram had years to develop the app, so releasing it in beta is questionable.

“We wanted to make Instagram available to people with Windows Phones as quickly as possible, so we focused on creating an awesome experience with Instagram’s core features. We’re not finished, and our team will continue developing the Windows Phone app to keep releasing features and bringing you the best Instagram possible.” the Instagram post stated.

By wanting to roll out the app fast, (fast? really? three years was fast?), they ended up launching an incomplete app.  Even so, this version of Instagram isn’t nearly as bad as some other bloggers are making out – Windows Phone users certainly have the ability to share sepia-toned pictures of their overpriced cappuccinos at last, if nothing else. While it might not be as good as the Android and iOS versions, lacking some of the features listed above, it’s more than good enough for an app that’s still in beta.

Is there a better option?

If you do not like the new Instagram app for Windows Phone, you can always try 6tag, a full featured Instagram app for Windows Phone developed by Rudy Huyn, meaning it’s like Instagram on iOS or Android.

Hyun may have been worried before that Instagram is launching for Windows Phone, but seeing the app, all he could say was, “No geotagging, no image rotation, no video upload, no in-app image capture… Seriously, Instagram, you can contact me.”