Live video has come to Instagram

Instagram, which began as a single-function photo sharing app known for beautifully curated images and abundant white space, is continuing to expand into new areas. 

On Monday, Instagram added two new features to enable users to share “in the moment,” the company said: one, the ability to share live video and two, the ability to send photos and video that later disappear in private messages. 

Instagram’s live video feature will roll out globally in the next few weeks, Instagram said. Users can expect notifications telling them that specific friends are recording live. The video is designed to disappear after the user stops recording, the company said. 

Users can find live video at the top of their mobile app, in the same place as Instagram Stories. The new feature is essentially identical to Facebook Live. Facebook owns the photo sharing service. 

In rolling out disappearing media -- that is, photos and video that can be sent privately to specific users -- Instagram is taking a page directly from Snapchat’s playbook. Like on Snapchat, users will be notified if their friends replay the media or take screenshots of it. 

CNET editor Jeff Bakalar said Instagram’s new updates are poised to take momentum away from Snapchat.

“It does seem like Instagram is kind of taking their ideas, and maybe making them a little bit better,” he said.