Fast Company is reporting that Instagram is working with Microsoft to develop a version of the popular photography app for Windows Phone.
Critics love Windows Phone, but it still has a relatively low market share, which left most people to assume Instagram would next aim to conquer Android. The photography application was named the iPhone’s app of the year by Apple and now has more than 15 million users.
Both Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom and Microsoft were vague when asked about the potential for a partnership by Fast Company, but an unnamed source said Microsoft’s new focus on quality and design standards had resulted in collaboration between the two companies. Systrom has already said Instagram will soon be available on Android, but the Fast Company report suggests it may be available on Windows Phone at the same time, if not sooner.
One of the biggest drawbacks for Windows Phone has been its lack of apps, and securing a partnership with Instagram ahead of Android would be a big coup. Instagram wants to someday be on par with the major mobile social networks (Systrom once told Fast Company he wants 300 million users), meaning it will need to be available on devices beyond the iPhone.
Windows Phone designers have been insisting that phone makers meet certain design standards – something that plagued Microsoft’s previous mobile efforts. That means better cameras and platforms that are fast enough to handle Instagram. Microsoft is also undertaking a big marketing push, reportedly pumping $1 billion into Nokia to promote their partnership.
