Instagram has begun to roll out live video to its users, alongside a "disappearing video" feature similar to that of rival social media app Snapchat.
The Facebook-owned social platform has already looked to squeeze Snapchat's share of the video market with the launch of Instagram Stories in August, where users can create a collection of images and videos each day.
The addition of a disappearing video feature where content will vanish once opened and viewed - a signature feature of Snapchat - will further increase competition between the two.
Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has said live video is a crucial feature for the Facebook "family of apps" going forward, and Instagram boss Kevin Systrom told the Financial Times earlier this month that the next step for the app is to let users broadcast live.
"Live video on Instagram Stories helps you connect with your friends and followers right now. When you're done, your live story disappears from the app so you can feel more comfortable sharing anything, anytime," the social app said in blog post.
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The new disappearing feature can be sent to one, or groups of contacts with a new paper aeroplane icon added to the app as an inbox for this content.
The social media site said the update for disappearing video will be available from Monday and the live video is set to arrive in the "coming weeks".
