Instagram rolls out new photo editing tools for Android first, coming soon to iOS

Well, I’ll be… Never thought I’d see the day an app update would hit Android users before those on iOS, especially an app as big as Instagram. I have to admit… it feels kinda good.

In any case, an update to Instagram — available now on Android and coming soon to iOS — is bringing a few new photo editing tools to the social network. The 2 new options include the ability to alter the tint of shadows in an image (Color), and lighten up shadows for a retro film look (Fade). While Color intensity can’t be adjusted, Fade can, allowing users to add a little or a whole lot.

In another small, but huge addition, Instagram is finally giving users the option to subscribe to their favorite ‘grammers. Simply hit up someone’s profile page, click the 3-dot menu and select “Turn on Post Notifications” and you’ll receive a notification on your phone every time that person uploads a new photo (previously, I had to use an IFTTT recipe to accomplish this). This is extremely useful for those that follow a boat load of people on Instagram and often times miss out on photos from their favorite users. This option is available right now for both Android and iOS users.

With every passing update, Instagram is slowing finding itself poised to tackle hardcore photo editing apps like VSCO Cam who have typically offered users a far greater set of tools and higher quality uploads. Now, if Instagram could only drop the square requirement, increase the resolution of their photos, and fix the poor upload quality on Android devices — they just might be able to sway over photo enthusiasts.

You can find Instagram 6.19.0 on Google Play right now.

Instagram (Playboard) | Instagram (Play Store)

LG G4 teaser shows off impressive photo samples, likely after editing in Lightroom [VIDEO]

It’s been said that for an Android manufacturer to beat the iPhone, they first have to beat its camera. It’s true. On a software level, Android is constantly evolving, adding intuitive features that leave iOS behind in the dust. While that’s all good and dandy for some of us, software features don’t often sell a phone. When shopping around for their next smartphone, we’re seeing consumers place a higher priority on a phone’s camera capabilities (you can thank social networks for sparking this trend).

With both the HTC One M9 and Samsung Galaxy S6 readily available for purchase, it’s clear LG has to do something to keep our wallets closed just a little longer. Despite a massive LG G4 leak last week, LG continues teasing the device, highlighting some of the phone’s standout features ahead of launch through a series of teaser videos.

We’ve already seen a brief teaser showing off some of the G4’s upcoming camera hardware — more notably its new f/1.8 lens — but as my mother always told me, the proof is in the pudding. For all those curious to see actual output, LG has enlisted the help of professional photographer Colby Brown to tout the phone’s photo taking abilities.

The 2 minute video shows off a variety of actual photos taken with the LG G4, showing rich vibrant colors with samples that easily rival full-sized DSLRs. What LG doesn’t mention is how much time and effort was spent in post editing to get the photos to look just right.

In the video, you can clearly see Mr. Brown using Lightroom 4 (photo editing software) to view the images, so it’s not exactly like they’re trying to hide it. Not only that, without actual photo samples, 1080p video makes it tough to see other aspects of the image. Things like noise or fine details — all the other things that make up a quality photo. So it’s hard to judge by these photos alone.

One thing LG forgot to mention — but was revealed in last week’s leak — was the stock camera app will also provide an option to shoot in RAW. Something the Galaxy S6 doesn’t provide, not even with its “Pro” shooting mode. Because the video runs by the sample images rather quickly, we took some snapshots and put them in a gallery for your viewing pleasure. Check ’em out.

You may have seen a similar ad campaign from Apple called “Shot on iPhone 6″ which shows off various photographs of breathtaking landscapes taken with the phone. Sure they look amazing, but the truth of the matter is most people will never travel to the Alps or jungles of Venezuela to take a photo. Instead, it’s the real world things like kids running around a naturally lit living room, or food in a restaurant I’d be more interested in seeing. What do you guys think? Will the LG G4’s camera live up to the hype?