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Instagram's popularity has grown exponentially ever since it was launched back in 2010. This video-sharing social networking service's success has been such that it prompted Facebook to buy it for $1 billion. With 400 million monthly active users, Instagram's popularity has also fueled the appearance of photo apps.
Startups in Asia have also made the most out of Instagram and devised sensational photo apps that have attracted many users. Here are some of the best photo apps invented in Asia:
Camera360 (China)
Compatible with iOS and Android, this app has amassed 500 million users worldwide. Apart from the obvious Instagram features, this Chinese app allows users to customise photos with stickers, edit photos and upload photos into the cloud. Its most innovative feature is enabling users to create puzzle patterns with the photos.
PaPa (China)
Just like Japan's Voicepic, this innovative app takes a step forward in the industry of photo-sharing services and it allows users to add sound to their photos. It's a combination of apps like Whatsapp and Instagram. This sound accompanying your photo can be either your voice, a song or background noise, allowing users to narrate their images or add sound for dramatic purposes. You can even reply in audio form to in the comments.
PaPa also benefits from another app, Pinterest, as it mirrors its timeline and shows who “hearted” other posts. To post, snap a photo and then hold down the record button to capture your audio.
Photo Wonder (Image above, from China)
Unlike Instagram's post-filter feature, this app allows users to see the filter before taking the picture. Apart from filters, this app allows users to edit and collage features and to download extra goodes like stickers and frames.
PIP Camera (China)
While most apps are focused on filter features, PIP Camera offers users the possibility to frame their photos in different objects such as glasses, umbrellas and computer screens.
Cameran (Japan)
Developed under the supervision of Mija Ninagawa - a female photographer and film director famous for her works with flowers, goldfish and landscapes - this app allows you to customize your photos with decorations. For instance, you can click on a flower decoration filter repeatedly to see different flower arrangements. Click on one of the 23 photo filters the app has to see incredible aesthetic results. The app also allows you to add effects to your own pictures. You can always count on Japan to come up with an innovative way to make something chic.
Japan also houses other groundbreaking photo apps, like DecoAlbum. This photo app focuses on women and allows them to create photos with text, backgrounds, sparkly visual stickers and other options. One of the few apps that prioritizes making albums, this app allows you to assemble your photos into an album.
Decopic used to be another Japanese photo app centred on decorating your photo. Whether you wanted to use aesthetic frames around your pictures or decorate your photo with hearts and stars, the app boasted endless options to customize your photo.
With over 5,000 stamps, over 100 frames, more than 30 filters, 200 brushes and other tools, Line Camera app is a wealth of possibilities. Given that comics are deeply in the Japanese culture, the country came up with an app that can turn you into a cartoon. This app is called Manga-Camera and it even allows you add decorations and text such as “pow.”
Japan has also invented an app for food lovers - Snapdish - which is all about taking photos of food and sharing it with the community of food lovers.
Cymera (South Korea)
Although this app might seem a bit difficult to use, it gives you a lot of editing options. With this app you can retouch your selfie pics, create memes, photo collages, and retouch your face. You can even turn your eyes into anime eyes. Some of the features include facial blur, highlights, shadows and many other adjustments.
Another Snow that has taking South Korea by storm is Snow. This is the Asian equivalent of Snapchat but the animated selfies to choose from are endless. Unlike Snapchat, Snow doesn't use a preview timer and features more aegyo content, including various K-pop celebrities.
A contender to Snow and Snapchat, Camera 360 is a popular face recognition app that, unlike Snapchat, allows you to take selfies with a full range of filters available. It also enables you fully control your snaps, like eliminating spots and retouching your face.