Instagram for Android? Google answers with image-sharing app Pool Party

Google has just released Pool Party in the Android Market, an alternative to the popular image service Instagram for iOS, but the app is still in the typical for Google invite-only beta stage. You can apply for an invitation if you follow the link below and then download it on the Market for free, but it's not exclusive to Android as it has already hit the App Store as well. But what exactly does it do to challenge Instagram?

First of all, the focus is around creating group albums also referred to as “pools” showing images in real-time. The idea is that you get to see the latest photos of your friends, organized in a timeline much like existing Android app Picplz. But Pool Party will make it possible to group images into events, extendible through other people's pictures.

At the same time, the recently launched like-Facebook/not-Facebook service Google+ doubles the functionality of Pool Party with its own Instant Upload feature. So while we don't know which app will end up getting more attention, we can't complain that Google lacks initiative, can we?

source: Electronista

Download Pool Party for Android (Market link)

Download Pool Party for iOS (iTunes link)