Sneak peek: 6tag for Instagram gets new Modern design in impending update

It was just a few days ago that 6tag, the unofficial Instagram client for Windows Phone 8, received a robust update with version 1.2. That update included the premier feature of multiple-account support. Now we can share with you the long-rumored new UI for version 1.4, which is due in the Store in the next twenty-four hours.

Responding to some critics who would prefer a swipe / gesture based system for 6tag, developer Rudy Huyn has obliged those users by offering them a second UI. The new choice is called ‘Modern’ while the old design is now called ‘Polaroid’.

Users can simply head into Settings and under General find the new design choice, allowing users the option to dynamically toggle between the two layouts.

From a usability perspective, we prefer the new Modern layout as swiping left or right to change categories seems more natural to us. Another neat trick is revealed when you scroll down through your images. Huyn as instantiated a UI change where the navigation bar disappears when scrolling, allowing you a nice full-screen view of your Instagram feed.

In related news, Huyn has quit his full-time job to focus squarely on making Windows Phone apps. That means more apps and more updates should be on their way. It’s hard to believe that Huyn has been doing this only part-time up until now, so we’re excited to see what else he will create.

6tag appears to be catching on as a handful of third-party apps like Ciel, Apict and Countdown have announced sharing integration with the Instagram client.

This version of 6tag will be for Windows Phone 8 only but with the new UI option, Huyn has noted that it will now be easier to port back for Windows Phone 7.x users.

Version 1.4 for 6tag will be available shortly and we’ll of course alert you when that happens. For now, you can watch our video tour above and see what’s in store for you soon. Stay tuned.

Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.