Samsung Galaxy S24 could have this surprise Instagram feature

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Leaked code points to an exclusive Instagram collaboration

Galaxy S24 Ultra concept
(Image credit: Technizo Concept/YouTube)

The Samsung Galaxy S24 family of smartphones aren’t too far away from release, if rumors of an early launch are to be believed. Indeed, one report has highlighted Wednesday 17 January as the day to watch, with Samsung expected to go big on artificial intelligence for its next flagship handsets.

Photography is another area that the series is expected to improve, with talk of a new 50MP telephoto sensor and clever video tricks on the Galaxy S24 Ultra model. And it looks like Samsung has something planned with Instagram to take full advantage.

Digging into the latest version of the Instagram app, mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi found a text aimed squarely at owners of Samsung’s next flagship smartphone. It details a splash screen that informs S24 owners they can “now turn on a [lock screen] shortcut to Instagram Camera in settings”.

That essentially reduces the time needed to start capturing snaps or footage, which could prove handy if you need to react to something quickly. The whole process of unlocking your phone and booting up Instagram may take mere seconds, but that can be the difference between capturing viral dynamite and missing it entirely.

As 9to5Google reminds us, this isn’t the first time Samsung and Meta-owned Instagram have worked together on exclusive software tweaks. The Samsung Galaxy S10 has an “Instagram Mode” in the built-in camera app, while letting users post stories directly. The app’s tablet layout for Android also debuted on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. 

It’s not clear whether this is something that’s set to be included on all S24 models, but there’s no technical reason why it shouldn’t be. When it comes to Galaxy S24 vs S24 Plus vs S24 Ultra, the main differences come down to screen size, battery capacity and camera performance, with all three expected to share the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor in the US (other regions may have the Exynos 2400 for all but the Ultra model). 

Will Instagram integration be part of all three models? We’ll likely find out in January.

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Alan Martin
Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. He also handles all the Wordle coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game for the last several years in an effort to keep his streak forever intact.