Here's the official (huge) changelog for v3.0 (note that a few items are PC only, this being a UWP application for Desktop as well):
- Preventing from app close on pending uploads / downloads On PC
- Added smooth zooming for mobile and PC (PC: Ctrl + mouse scroll)
- Enabled dragging for moving the zoomed area
- Removed full screen image view for both PC and mobile (Except for profile pictures)
- Added support for push notifications thanks to Tung Huynh (Indirect developer) and Ramtinak (Minista Developer)
- Added support for Adding users to contacts in people hub
- Added support for navigating to direct of contact and viewing profile using people hub
- Added support for My people
- Added support for Windows Share UI (Support for *.png, *.jpg and *.mp4)
- Added support for sharing story
- Added support for cropping images and videos before posting on feeds
- Added support for re-ordering items on feed before uploading
- Added multi-window support (Hold shift and select media in profile, search result, direct thread, story, live, collection or etc.)
- Added open in new window option to right click menu in most cases
- Added support for deleting items in story creation view using hold/right click
- Added support for multi-part video story
- Added support for hashtag in stories
- Added support for mention in stories
- Added support for story quizes answering
- Added support for story countdown
- Added incremental loading list for profile, Explore and etc. posts
- Added support for multiple languages
- Added support for updating secondary live tiles
- Added pinning support for direct threads
- Added pinning support for hashtags
- New way of sharing media to stories
- Added support for update notification
- Added support for viewing comments on post lives (Saved Lives)
- Added date for messages in directs
- Added badge notification support (Only when direct notifications)
- Changed the dialogs to more native flyouts
- Better algorithm for compressing and uploading video
- Added sound in directs for send and recieving messages
- Added support for sending voice messages in directs using backgrounduploader
- Added support for sending photos in directs using backgrounduploader
- Added support for capturing image on camera in directs
- Added voice message play / pause support in direct messages
- UI/UX improvements
- Fixed is Private toggle switch in settings menu
- Fixed captions with line break
- Fixed video story uploading crash issue on mobile devices
- Fixed errors on uploading videos with Non-accurate X60 Coefficient
- Fixed Consent_Required error
- Fixed story items positioning accuracy on viewing stories
- Fixed story items positioning accuracy on uploading new story
- Fixed video uploading to both stories and feeds
- Fixed turning live tile off
Add it all together and it's a major update for the client in terms of fitting in with Instagram on other platforms. Having said that, it's optimised for Windows 10 on the desktop - it works just fine on Lumias (etc) and Windows 10 Mobile, but it's not exactly fast - there are occasional pauses while feeds and images load in daily use. I was testing it on a Lumia 950 XL - it'll be faster on the Elite x3 and IDOL 4 Pro, both of which also have more RAM, but don't expect too much on lesser specced Windows phones.
I'm not a huge Instagram user, but I do play with it - here's my profile page, with media, and starting to browse my Instagram timeline - anyone remember our very own David Gilson?
Plus site owner Rafe of course, usually with wildlife nearby - but then - ahem - so am I, in the right screenshot, out for a cycle ride and in baggy clothing because it was cold and windy. Friendly horses though. Tapping the crop tool lets you pick the aspect ratio to use, though note there's no 'free' option.
The posting UI and the finished result on 'the 'gram'. Uploading media works a LOT more reliably than on the previous v2.x generation of Winsta, so the rewrite has worked wonders.
Friend reports and direct messaging, Instagram is all here and correct - and very useable. Well done to Winsta's developer, 'Ali Nsh'.
Winsta UWP has a very active developer and there's an Insider user community here on Telegram. (Access the latter through Unigram Mobile Messenger UWP!) See you there?
As I stated before, Winsta UWP is still highly recommended. There's a lot to like about Winsta, it's a breath of fresh air - you can directly encourage the developer by buying Winsta, since it's a couple of quid in the Microsoft Store. Go on, if you want to see this updated further, buy the developer a cup of coffee in this way...
See also the official Instagram PWA, which works very well (apart from notifications) under Windows 10 Mobile.