Facebook is working on a new way for Instagram to work offline on Android.
In a session at Facebook's F8 developer conference, titled "Building Offline Experiences for Instagram," a software engineer described the new offline feature for Android.
80% of Instagram users are outside the US – many of them are in developing markets where internet can be slower.
"For people in areas with low bandwidth, we've started testing offline experiences that keep the Instagram experience alive and allow people to engage with content even when they don't have an internet connection," the company said in the service's description.
The company hasn't announced the feature, but some parts of it are already rolling out in various regions. One of them is the "like" feature. Instead of preventing you from liking posts when you're offline, the app now updates your likes when you're back online.
Instagram is currently extremely network-dependent, meaning there's nothing you can do without being connected to the internet.
Offline features include: much more saved content, the ability to like and comment offline, visit profiles, unfollow, and includes support for the Explore, Activity, and Profile tabs.
The feature is currently being tested on Android, with iOS likely to follow. The offline mode could be a big boost to time spent on Instagram's app, especially for users in developing markets with limited internet access.
