Instagram May Be Launching A Private Messaging Feature Soon

First came Instagram's video service, 15-second videos that autoplay on your Instagram timeline amidst the hoards of brunch photos and selfies.

Now, sources tell GigaOm that Instagram is getting ready to launch a new private messaging feature inside the visual content sharing platform, which will also include group messaging.

The new features are slated to be included in the next version of Instagram, expected out in December.

"Instagram might have started out as a photographer's platform, but it has since evolved into something that creates social connections between people and has led to an entirely different kind of social graph," GigaOm reports.

Its timing is also perfect; its competitor, Snapchat, has been making headlines over the last few weeks. It's not a surprise that Instagram wants to get back into the game.