Instagram tops 40M downloads

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Instagram tops 40M downloads

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One cannot create an Instagram account without downloading the app and setup process.

15 April,2012 12:26 pm

In the wake of its high-profile launch on Android and $1-billion acquisition by Facebook, mobile photo-sharing service Instagram just got even hotter, breaking the 40-million download mark.Instagrams API ID count also indicated a 10-million user jump in just 10 days, tech site VentureBeat reported.Instagram hasn’t officially confirmed the 40 million user amount (we’ve asked for confirmation), but the number makes sense given that its Android app has already reached the 5 million to 10 million install range on Google Play, and that the company has been in the news quite a bit lately, it said.VentureBeat pointed out one cannot create an Instagram account without downloading the app and going through the setup process.Since there is no web setup for Instagram, at least 40 million would have to download the app first before they can use the service - and its API.The new milestone hammers home why Facebook was so desperate to purchase Instagram. The photo sharing app may not have a legitimate revenue stream yet, but it has stumbled upon a secret to crazy fast growth. It proves that users are far more valuable than actual revenue, it said.Besides, it said having a boatload of new mobile users is important to Facebook, as the company pointed to mobile being one of its biggest problems leading up to its initial public offering