It is public knowledge that Instagram and Snapchat are in a heated rivalry to attract more users. So, in a move to tackle Snapchat head on, Instagram has just launched a new feature on its app. The release of "disappearing photos and videos" takes the social media app right into its rival's territory.

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The new feature is an addition to the apps current feature, Stories, which was introduced back in August. Instagram Stories has already garnered over 100 million users per day. With the new feature, users of Stories can share their live streams for up to one hour, and they disappear after the stream is completed.

It is very similar to what Snapchat offers, with users sharing videos and photos that disappear after they are done. This differs from what other social media apps like Facebook Live and Periscope live videos are offering. User videos are permanently on the user's profile, even after they have been completed. 

Aside from Stories, Instagram Direct gets a boost from the new feature. Instagram Direct was launched last year as a way for users to chat and exchange photo messages in private. When users send photos, they will disappear from the receiver's inbox. The sender will also be able to see if their photo is replayed or if a screenshot is taken, which is another feature very similar to what Snapchat offers is.

Updates to Instagram have helped the company increase its daily users. When Instagram Direct was originally released last yet, the number of users grew from 80 million to 300 million. The new Instagram Direct is being rolled out already, and it is available to current users with the Instagram app installed on their smartphones.