Facebook-owned Instagram has today unleashed version 6.0 of its famed photo-sharing app for iPhone and Android, and it arrives complete with a very healthy bunch of new editing features. The filters that Instagram is famed for continue to achieve their main objective in offering one-click convenience in modifying a photo before sharing, but with mobile camera enthusiasts demanding a little more than the odd overlay, the updated app is arguably the biggest improvement in the app’s history.
There has been the ongoing argument that Instagram is undermining all of the good work that is being put into improving the smartphone shooting experience from both a hardware and software perspective. After all, the snaps are always square, which essentially ruins most original captures, and with the one-dimensional nature of the filters, many have been waiting in hope that Instagram would eventually step its game up.
Today, the time has come, and as opposed to merely tapping on filters until you find one that has sufficiently butchered your original creation beyond all recognition, you’ll now be able to tweak the strength of each filter for a more refined outcome. Moreover, through the new settings icon, you’ve a multitude of additional editing options, letting you adjust brightness, contrast, warmth, saturation, shadow, vignette, highlights and sharpness.
With user taking to many third-party alternatives for their image-adjusting needs, Instagram has been long overdue some improved editing options. Today’s update takes care of this issue for the most part, and given how much time many users spend sharing their lives through square pictures, there’s a fairly good chance that Instagram 6.0 could spell the demise of some of our much-loved editing apps out there.
The new version of Instagram can now be picked up for iOS and Android, and although you can update through the App Store / Play Store app located on your device, we’ve also provided the links for your convenience.
There’s no word whether the Windows Phone version of Instagram will get the update. But we’re certain that at one point it will. And when that happens, we’ll definitely notify our readers about it.
(Download: Instagram for iPhone / Android)
Be sure to check out our iPhone Apps Gallery and iPad Apps Gallery to explore more apps for your iPhone and iPad, and also our Android Apps gallery to explore more apps for your Android device.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.