With so many image taking, editing and sharing apps available on each of the main platforms, printing them is turning out to be fairly lucrative business.
As far as lucrative goes, there isn’t much of a better example than Instagram – a network of 30+ million snap-sharing fanatics recently acquired for a mind-boggling 1 billion dollars by Facebook. The sum has left many in the tech world bemused, but it’s not surprising others are now looking to create app-making companies based on social media.
While some have criticized Instagram as being somewhat unimaginative, it cannot be denied that, as far as the mass audience is concerned, it ticks the most – if not all of the required boxes. Unfortunately, some of the weird, wonderful and intriguing Instagram creations can only be viewed on an iPhone’s screen. While the Retina display of the iPhone 4(S) means resolution is high and images crisp, the screen only covers the area of a few postage stamps, meaning the very best images are restricted to the classic, retro size. While this does give the snap an authentic, retro feel, it has to be said that we’ve advanced a long way, and as much as we feel the nostalgia, we like high-res, large photos in equal measure.
Start-up company Snapstagram, which is already well over halfway into it’s $3000 Kickstarter goal, wants to introduce a service allowing Instagram users to print their creations as opposed to simply uploading, waiting for likes/comments, then uploading some more.
Hipstamatic, an iOS app which also allows classic 4×4’s to be created with a variety of lenses and effects, already houses a similar service in-app, allowing numerous prints in a variety of sizes to be done at a very reasonable price.
Snapstagram’s service will allow you to log in via a desktop app, select the images you wish to print without the need to upload, and then order 12-shot rolls of 4×4 inch photos. The rolls can be delivered to your home address, although would naturally make a pretty good gift, and can be sent to another address. The rolls will cost $6 with free shipping, and if, like me, your Instagram is a little bare or you’d prefer to use the images of others, you can also print images of any user with a public account.
It needs donations in order to get going, and you can support it by following this link.
Is Snapstagram the sort of service you will use, or would you opt for an alternative such as CanvasPop? You may even think Instagram images are better kept as an online-only thing, but whatever your opinion may be, please share it via the usual mediums below.
(via Mashable)
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.