Following last month's search overhaul for its apps, Instagram has bestowed its desktop version with a small search bar at the top of the page. It's the latest investment in the Web for a company that had previously been not just mobile-first, but practically mobile-only.
Today's update is simple enough. Type in usernames, hashtags, or locations and be met with a dropdown of options for any of the above. Search has been a stated priority for Instagram for some time; cofounder Mike Krieger told WIRED earlier this year that his company had invested heavily in computer vision and other image-friendly search technologies to help catch up with the Pinterest and Twitters of the world. The search update also follows a recent desktop design overhaul that provides a more user-friendly, information-dense experience.
The dedication to the desktop experience might seem strange, given how proportionally unimportant it is for Instagram next to its mobile offering. Think of it less as doing major renovations on a foreclosure, though, and more like simply bringing a neglected property just barely up to code.
