Snapchat introduced Snapcodes in January 2015 and now Instagram is copying the feature.
As first noted by Genady Okrain, the popular photo-sharing service is preparing to launch Snapcode-style Nametags that you scan with your Instagram camera to quickly follow someone. You will be able to create your own Nametag by clicking a dedicated button at the top of your profile page on Instagram, as evidenced by the below screenshot.
TechCrunch’s Josh Costine reports that an Instagram spokesperson confirmed to his publication that it is indeed testing the Nametags feature.
Once users have access, they’ll be able to hit a QR scanner button on their profile to bring up the Nametag editor. They can then choose from a purple Instagram color gradient background, a pattern of one emoji they choose or a selfie they can jazz up with augmented reality face filters that then becomes an emoji pattern. The user’s Instagram username appears in the center.
For now, users in the test group are unable to share or scan Nametags so this feature is probably still being worked on. To give you a better idea what Nametags will look like when Facebook rolls them out to everyone, give Genady’s short video demonstration embedded below a quick watch.
People love Snapcodes so it’s reasonable that many folks will find Nametags very handy, especially businesses who can put their brand’s Nametag on ads, signs and other artwork. The biggest advantages of using Nametags over following someone the old-fashioned way include the fact that no typing is required and no request is necessary.
On a related note, Instagram just unveiled a depth-of-field shooting mode which brings the bokeh effect to your Instagram photos and videos on any iPhone from iPhone 6s onward.