Instagram

The widely popular “Instagram” iOS app is now available for Android devices at Google Play.

The iTunes-friendly version showcases 30 million users and holds Apple’s 2011 iPhone App of the Year crown. The Android community patiently waited for a Google variant, and now it can finally propel mobile snapshots to the retro days with snazzy filters and effects.

“Today, we’re excited to bring you Instagram for Android,” announced Instagram on its official blog. “We’ve been meticulous about translating the Instagram experience to the Android platform. The Android app offers an extremely familiar Instagram experience when compared to the iOS app.”

A screenshot gallery is available below. 

Cofounder of the leading iOS photo-sharing app “Instagram” Kevin Systrom recently announced at SXSW (via TechCrunch) that the app has now reached over 27 million registered users. He also briefly teased the highly anticipated Android version of Instagram, which Systrom had an early build of running on his device at the show. The good news is, while we do not have a solid release date, Systrom said the company is taking its time to make sure the Android version is not just a scaled port of the iOS app:

“I don’t think it took us so long. We just had priorities. Had we tried to be both on Android and iPhone at the same time, it would’ve been tough to innovate in the way that we have”

Systrom also said the Android app is, “In some ways, it’s better than our iOS app. It’s crazy.” TechCrunch reported Instagram cofounder Mike Krieger said the Android team is “pretty impressed” with the app’s ability to differentiate itself from the iOS version. Unfortunately, the executives said the current build of the app was not ready for a full demo, which means we are likely still a few months out. We will keep you posted.

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Instagram’s CEO Kevin Systrom told the audience at Le Web today that an Android app is on the way. For those of you who don’t know, Instagram is a very popular socia lnetworking app on iOS, that lets users take pictures of the world around them. Android users have been begging for the app ever since it was first released 13 months ago.

Systrom said that the company currently has two developers working on an Android app, but didn’t say when the app would be completed. The iPhone version of the app currently boasts 50 million users, and Android could help double those numbers. So why did Instagram select iOS to begin with? Systrom said that the iPhone’s disruptive camera and screen were something that had to be taken advantage of — 13 months ago he might of had a point. (via CNET)