Apps
Instagram hides your story’s viewer list after 24 hours
People are furious, including me
Instagram has just removed your ability to see who viewed your stories after 24 hours. Just when Facebook added a long-awaited feature that sparked joy in the hearts of many, Instagram takes away the lifeblood of every Story user.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Stories is a feature on Instagram that lets you post photos and videos which automatically disappear, but allows you to see who viewed your content. For people who love stroking their egos and knowing their stalkers, this was a godsend.
It was this week when Instagram silently snuck behind our backs and removed this feature without explaining. Even highlights, which are stories that are permanently displayed on your profile, hide the viewer list. Instagram hasn’t given a statement regarding its update yet. Users instead expressed their ire on Twitter:
👀 Instagram now hides story viewer list after 24 hours!
Lots of users right now be 🤬😱https://t.co/EZL7EYKLhE pic.twitter.com/TuNFVazQ5p
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) February 6, 2019
Yes, Matt. We’re furious as hell. 😡
instagram deleted the story viewer list on archived stories BUT THE WHOLE REASON I ARCHIVE STORIES IS TO CATCH PEOPLE INSTA STALKING pic.twitter.com/V3vh3ur9Iv
— jessica mathers (@jessicamatherss) February 6, 2019
Absolutely true. This is the whole reason why I’m uploading on Instagram Stories in the first place. 😞
instagram taking off viewer lists has made me have a mental breakdown .
— zenny (@zzzennyyyp) February 6, 2019
Same, girl. Same. Gonna call my therapist, BRB. 👋
instagram story viewer lists aren’t visible after 24 hours?? how am i supposed to know who’s stalking me
— emma (@xemma_degennaro) February 5, 2019
I wholeheartedly agree. Instagram stories helped me weed out my stalkers and people who have bad intentions. Hear that, police? 🙄
ATTENTION PEOPLE: @INSTAGRAM REMOVED THE VIEWER LISTS OF OUR STORIES AFTER 24 HOURS AND NOW WE CAN'T GET THE VALIDATION WE NEED BECAUSE WE WILL NEVER KNOW IF OUR CRUSH/ES STALKED US
— J. (@hemjaye) February 8, 2019
Now, we’ll never know if our crush/es like us back ’cause we can’t check the viewer list anymore. 💔

How do you feel about Instagram’s recent update? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section!
Apps
Disney+ launches a TikTok-coded vertical feed called Verts
TikTok has changed how we consume media. Everything is now vertical. Even the most established streaming services, often a bastion for traditionally horizontal content, is adopting the different format. Now, Disney+ is getting a vertical feed called Verts.
Like its contemporaries, Verts presents a continuous feed of content but tailored to show the plethora of titles from the Disney+ library. This might include the first scenes of shows or notable highlights. The hope, of course, is to direct users to the longform content.
Directly from the Verts feed, users can easily add the respective title to their watchlist or go straight to the title’s page. In turn, the feed is accessible from the homepage since it has its own tab.
According to Disney, early experiments with the feature have driven engagement to available content. Right now, the feed is mostly for clipping enticing content from shows. However, the platform will experiment further with the format for new ways to tell stories.
Though Verts surely stands for “verticals” in this case, “adverts” might fit better as its full government name. Still, it might be a useful tool if you’re figuring out what to watch for the night.
Currently, Verts is available for Disney+ subscribers in the United States. Disney also has plans to expand the feature to ESPN for sports-related content.
SEE ALSO: Live NBA action on Disney Plus now available in the Philippines
Some of today’s navigation apps are living in the future. Instead of a two-dimensional map, these apps render the user’s surroundings in 3D. It’s a nifty upgrade that helps drivers more accurately visualize directions on the fly. Finally, Google Maps is getting a much-needed upgrade and will take navigation to the third dimension.
In a new update rolling out today, the new Immersive Navigation feature will bring your surroundings to life. The 3D view creates a render of the surrounding buildings, overpasses, and terrain around the car. It takes the guesswork out of navigation by showing precisely where to turn and what landmarks to look out for.
In the same vein, you can now use Street View to preview your destination before you arrive. Google Maps will also highlight your destination’s entrance, side of the street, and nearby parking.
Outside of how the map is visualized, Google Maps is also infusing its service with Gemini. The new Ask Maps feature will let you engage with the app in a conversational manner. For example, if you’re in the middle of a long drive, you can now ask Maps where the best place is to stop over and have a coffee break. Ask Maps will provide directions, a potential itinerary, and even helpful links to book a reservation ahead of time.
Now, availability for both of these features is still a bit limited. Immersive View is rolling out today to compatible devices and vehicles in the United States. Further, availability will expand over the coming months.
Meanwhile, Ask Maps is available now in the United States and India for Android and iOS. A desktop version is coming soon.
SEE ALSO: Google Maps is finally getting a power saving mode
Apps
Apple Music, TikTok launch Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience
Rolling out worldwide exclusively through Apple Music
Ever came across a viral 15 or 30-second music snippet on TikTok that instantly became your jam on repeat?
For years, TikTok has been a regular source of songs that have become part of our playlists. And together with Apple Music, listening to the music you discover has just gotten even easier.
That’s through Play Full Song, a new music discovery experience, which launches exclusively though Apple Music.
With the new feature, Apple Music subscribers can now enjoy full-length tracks that they discover on TikTok. That’s without ever leaving that popular streaming app.
Fans who discover a song that they love on their For You or Sound Detail page can simply tap the Play Full Song button to open up an Apple Music player and enjoy the song in its entirety.
From there, subscribers can continue listening to a personalized stream of recommended songs. That means no more need to switch apps and search separately.
The new Play Full Song experience helps music fans move seamlessly from the moment of discovery to deeper listening. It’s also designed to be instant and all within the same environment.
Moreover, users can also save their favorite songs to Your Music and add them directly to their Apple Music playlists.
Built using Apple’s MusicKit, full-length song playback takes place on Apple Music. This way, streams are paid within the Apple Music service, supporting artists and rights holders while giving fans a smooth, uninterrupted experience.
Listening Party also launched
The feature builds on the success of TikTok’s Add to Music App. This was previously launched to help artists and fans convert discovery on TikTok to a playlist save in Apple Music and other streaming services.
To cap the announcement, TikTok and Apple Music are also introducing Listening Party. This new feature is designed to bring artists and fans together around music.
It creates a shared environment where fans can listen to songs from their favorite artists in real time, interact with each her, and engage directly with the artist during the session.
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