Instagram API: What People Are Doing And What Can Be Done

Last month the popular iPhone camera app Instagram released it's API. By opening up the code behind the product the company invited independent developers to use the API to create products and services using the technology.  A couple of really interesting products have emerged recently.

First up is Instaprint by the excellent New York based agency Breakfast. The Instaprint machine searches for Instagram images tagged using a specific location i.e Ciaran's House Party, and prints out Polaroids complete with comments, of any image taken at the party.



Instawar creates a random pair of Instagram images and asks you to vote for the best. Photographers accumulate points that are redeemable for print-outs of their images from an associated product Printstagr.am.

Because the service includes location tagging and a growing community of amateur photographers it will be interesting to see how brands and advertisers will use the technology. Some thoughts on what these could be:

Brands in the social space could offer a service similar to Instaprint and provide people with print outs of photos taken from parties or special occasions.

Outdoor advertising could use the API to create print ads featuring pictures with a specific tag.

Retail screens could stream customers photos live in the shop. 

Very interesting stuff. Since the release of the API is only a month old expect to see a lot more projects using Instagram.

Thanks to Ed for the links.