GoKawiilMeta has begun testing a premium subscription on Instagram in a few countries, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday. The subscription, called Instagram Plus, give subscribers access to exclusive features. The move comes two months after Meta told TechCrunch that it was planning to test new subscriptions on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
Among the premium features on Instagram is the ability to view a Story — a photo or video post that disappears after 24 hours — without the poster knowing you viewed it. Subscribers can also see how many people have rewatched their own Stories, Meta told TechCrunch in an email.
Subscribers will also be able to create unlimited audience lists for Stories, beyond a Close Friends list. This means users can customize who sees each Story by grouping followers into different lists instead of only having the option to share with everyone or just one limited group.
Additionally, subscribers can extend their Story for an extra 24 hours and choose to spotlight a Story up to once per week, increasing its visibility by bringing it to the front of the Stories tray for followers.
Subscribers can also give an animated “Superlike” on others’ Stories and search their Story viewer list to quickly see if a specific person looked at their Story, instead of having to scroll through the entire list.
While Meta didn’t share which countries it’s testing the premium subscription in, social media reports indicate that it’s being tested in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines.
Pricing varies by country, but according to screenshots shared by users, it costs MX$39 (approximately $2.20 USD) per month in Mexico, ¥319 per month (approximately $2 USD) in Japan, and PHP 65 per month (approximately $1.07 USD) in the Philippines.
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