Meta Platforms (META) has begun testing a new premium subscription service called “Instagram Plus” in select countries.
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The test comes several months after Meta announced plans to trial new subscription offerings across its suite of social media platforms that include Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. The new subscription model unlocks several exclusive features for users.
Subscribers to Instagram Plus can view stories without the poster knowing they viewed it and see how many people have re-watched their stories. Instagram Plus also allows users to create unlimited audience lists for stories, moving beyond the current “close friends” option. This lets users group followers into different lists and customize who sees their stories.
Additional Instagram Plus Features
Additional features that are part of Instagram Plus include the ability to extend a story for an extra 24 hours and spotlight a story once a week, which brings it to the front of the stories tray for followers. Subscribers can also send an animated “super like” on other people’s stories.
The new Instagram Plus subscription is being tested in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines. Pricing is being set at around $2 per month. The new subscription model arrives days after Meta lost a landmark court case that saw a jury rule that its social media apps were made intentionally addictive for youth.
Is META Stock a Buy?
The stock of Meta Platforms has a consensus Strong Buy rating among 45 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on 40 Buy and five Hold recommendations issued in the last three months. The average META price target of $865.58 implies 58.28% upside from current levels.
