Rumor: Instagram, Real Racing 3 and Temple Run for Windows Phone coming in May

Yesterday we brought you the story about Instagram reportedly already in the Windows Phone Store. The app is hidden, presumably for Microsoft eyes only, and we argued that if Microsoft had built the app they could be waiting on some last minute negotiations with Instagram to use their APIs legally.

Now, the same source, @anontechleaks, has a few more tidbits including images of Real Racing 3 and Temple Run—two huge titles that Windows Phone desperately needs. Real Racing 3 evidently requires 1.7GB of free space, putting it probably in 800MB range.

In related but different news, Real Racing 2 is reportedly coming soon too but as a Nokia exclusive. We’re unsure if this a case of rumors colliding or one will be for Windows Phone 8 (RR3) and one for Windows Phone 7.x (RR2).

No information was given about Temple Run.

On Instagram, the news is that it is a straight up iOS port with no Lens feature, which may be surprising for those anticipating. Of course, that can later be changed with updates, and this could be a “let’s just get it out there” move by Microsoft.

The timing of the releases is curious. May is not too far off, but it’s not exactly around the corner either. The only thing we can think is this may coincide with forthcoming firmware updates for Nokia, perhaps the GDR2 OS update and of course Verizon’s new Lumia 928, giving Microsoft and partners a very high profile May.

Interesting enough, the leaker of those images to demonstrate that they are not Photoshopped, showed the URL for the Real Racing 3 game with the ID of the app blurred out. On Windows Phone Daily an analysis of the images showed there were no PS tricks but a person could still fake the listing on the site just by entering into the CSS editor of their browser.

Now that we can see the full URL and the image, it does lend more credibility to the leak though of course we cannot be 100%.

Source: @Anontechleaks; Thanks, Er. Akshat, for the tip

Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007, back when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and arguing with people on the internet.

270 Comments

Lord Microsoft-sus-ssiah-llah, gods of technology have done it again. :bows:
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
hahahaha jokes. i can't wait.
Finally, someone who speaks English :)
+10000
:worship2:
I think Jessica Alba asked Microsoft to get it and they did. She probably has early access to it too. Either she switched back to iPhone or she has early access to Instagram beta. So yeah, lets thank Jessica Alba.. :P
If you can prove this, I will bow to you.
Jessica has been using her old phone to post to Instagram since the day she started using her Windows phone. She just uses two phones. Has been this whole time cause I've been following her way before she got a WP.
I need instagram and rr3 love that damn game.
Please let this be true.
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but watch these apps be buggy as all hell. :(
I just want temple run in regards to the other two I don't care much but if they coming then cool.
Same.
Same but any word on temple run 2 ?
They are talking about Temple Run 2.. I'm not sure if Temple Run 1 will be released but according to the article and pictures Temple Run 2 will be out in May.
I want Temple Run 0, formerly known as "Pitfall" from Activision. That game was amazingly fast on my 1.19Mhz/128b Atari 2600.
Not likely, anyone can copy a webpage in a site editor pop in a pic, change the text post up a quick browser preview then type in a URL for the screen cap. Would be nice though ^^
Lol
Instagram would be a nice plus for Windows phone for sure
And that's when everyone in iOS and Android will move on to something else... kinda like when Rupert Murdoch bought MySpace.
And when draw something was bought by zynga.
Hopefully this is true. So I can stop hearing the constant clamoring for Instagram. Now we can move on to something else.
This, this!
It could be. I suspect its a port from Android since the listing changed from android to windows phone instead of iOS. Backs it up just a tad bit.
Doubt that very much. iOS to WP8 is very easy to translate. Translating Java to WP8 apps is not a fun task!
Not if its written in C++
Although I'm the main "Clamorer" about Instagram I fully agree with your comment.. I'm ready to bitch about something else WP needs.. LOL! I won't stop until we're caught up with the others.
Exactly. "bitching" about apps and features is the only way the platform can reach parity with others, and at least have a chance of surpassing them.
How much people "bitch" about something is an indicator of how important that thing is for the platform.
Yes, Yes!! I agree...
Bitching on WPC doesn't help, it just annoys everyone else. I had to stop reading comments for awhile since EVERY thread was an opp for some InstaWhine. It could be about ESPN and someone thinks its OK to spout off about InstaGram. Ugh.
You're right. Bitching is annoying... Hey, if it makes you feel better we bitch elsewhere as well.. Lol!.. Seriously, the word gets out, and these companies do get the message.. So, it's actually ok that we bitch..
Not really. Hoping on word getting out by bitching in the wrong places is a waste. Bitch directly to these companies you want. I've been saying this forever, but people don't read or seem to follow logic. If Instagram and Pandora have no care about WP, what makes you think they'd go to a WP fan site to read comments? If you band all the people who want an app and contact those companies' via their websites en masse, it would be difficult for them to ignore, especially if the mass contact happens very close to each other. It's sort of like a petition, except I think it'd be more effective.
Yeah, you're right that would be more effective. I wish we had a way to get a large amount of people to do that,, like a website or something.. I know of some sites that have attempted to bring large amounts of people to contact these developers, but they were lower quality and didn't catch on. I think it would be a great idea if WPC set up a sister site to get something like this off the ground,, you know form a list of company email addresses so that we could easily email these companies.. Not sure if that's legal or not, but it's a good idea. They could even make it a fuction in the WPC app..
Now that's an idea... hmm...
+1
Like Path?
Yeah, then it'll be that stupid snapchat bologna.
Booyaa!
Cool
Windows Phone always late to the party
That's just how the industry is while it's a distant 3rd place for now. Much better than not getting big titles though.
There's late and then there is not even getting an invitation...
Instagram has enough money, developer power ect to make this more than just an iOS port. If a company as large as Instagram will choose to be that lazy..........words cannot even express.
......Instagram is far from a large company....
They had just 12 employees, IIRC, when they started building their Android app. And two of those were Android devs. The thing is people need to remember: Instagram doesn't make much money, yet. Their hedging a bit, trying to avoid exploding overnight.
Facebook bought Instagram, therefore it is a large company.
You mean Facebook, right? Yeah, they are tiny.
And MS has a stake in FB...so where's the app?
Why don't you learn how mergers and acquisitions work in the real world. Facebook INVESTED in their future. Instagram doesn't all of a sudden get access to their resources and team members. Get a clue and stop being ignorant.
I think instagram is just 6 people team
It sounds like Instagram isn't doing anything except letting MS make the app themselves.
Yeah because MS will just straight port the App over from iOS. If MS WAS making it they would Metro it...
Ooohhhh.. You said Metro! Ima tell yo mama on you.
+1
LOL
Just like they did to the FB app...
Personally im not fussed about these 3 but this should help the platform Grow as we score more of the top 50 apps :)

Lets hope this is just the start and the platform can now get the recognition it deserves
Temple Run 2 better come to WP7.8 too or I may have to finally upgrade my phone
Dude, just upgrade anyway.
I would, but I'm not a huge mobile gamer, my current phone works just fine, and upgrading costs money
Highly doubt it, but I could be surprised. Supposedly most these games didn't/won't come to WP7.x is due to native code support which it doesn't support.
Unity Engine isn't available for Windows Phone 7, so I wouldn't hold your breath.
Ah, good point
So, does this mean your original message really meant "give me what I want or I'll give you more money!"
Real Racing 2 is awesome but from everything I read, the 3rd one is a micro-transaction filled pile of shit. Still good news for the platform, especially Instagram.
You would be correct about RR3.
Imagine that went to Win8. Prep up the memory editors...
Have a lens in the instagram isn't very important as long as you can upload.
Agreed. A nice to have but I'd rather have one without a lens than none at all, its the only app i miss. Updates could always add it in later too.
Insta-rumor again. Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my.
Finally when instagram is close to become irrelevant it is coming to windows phone. good way, Microsoft, to attract only secondhanders.
A lot of people use instagram
I'd like to see a source that says Instagram is losing relevancy.
Well they did lose 25% of their daily active users after its ToS crap during the holidays
They did? Pretty sure that was debunked. They are stil growing... and growing.. and growing.....
I am sure they are, but according to there own metrics they lost 25% of daily active users during the holidays, from ~16 million to ~12 million
If you guys check i told you it was coming lol i know things
I know things too. We have so much in common :)
Its awesome lol shh...dont tell anyone what we know
Ok, so when is kirosoft going to port their games to WP? I want them so bad. Most addicting games on a mobile platform and do simple too.
I will investigate as i did with instagram ^.^
What about snapchat?
So far nothing
I've never even tried Instagram but all of this constant hype is making me really curious. :)
Don't, resist the temptation, it's a black hole of crappy "artistic" photos.
I beg you don't go into the dark side. LOL
Filters are optional. You can post nice untouched photos or add filters. It's fun, but is nowhere as good as fhotoroom. But it's definitely MUCH larger, user base wise.
I tried it. When I had an instagram account, I didn't even upload photos, I just viewed, so I loved wpgram. Then I notices that "I" posted weird comments, and my username got changed, so I deleted it.
If the port of Instagram is anything like the Words With Friends port, then we are screwed
WWF is a game, this is an app. It should be a better/faster port.
Ok hope so
WWF isn't that bad anymore. Yes, it would have been nice to have it built specifically for WP. But its a heleva lot better today than when it was when first released.
And thusly crumbles my wife's last remaining defense against the Dark Side. She shall now join with me to rule the Galaxy as my Queen! Besides, Android sucks. :p
+1000
Thumbs up, like +1
+100000
I see what you did there with galaxy. :)
Same twerpy account that posted the same twerpy 'leak' yesterday? And you're giving it an 8?

Come on WP Central, you're better than this.
Your argument is not convincing. I see a full game listing for Real Racing 3 and it counts as evidence, sorry. Seriously, what is so far fetched about RR3 and Temple Run coming to Windows Phone? Or Instagram for that matter? It's not only plausible but expected, no?
When an account (a brand new account too) posts something that is clearly fake one day, I'm not going to believe them when they make more bold announcements the day after.

The Instagram 'photo' was done because doing it that way, low quality / blurry helps mask any imperfections. The category the app was listed in doesn't even exist, and the first line says 'Android', and makes no mention of Windows Phone. My skepticism is well placed.

As far as I can tell there's not even a shred of evidence. We can agree to disagree if that's favourable, but rating things based on what you want to happen is hugely flawed.
"... but rating things based on what you want to happen is hugely flawed."
I would have thought it was well known by now that I don't always print what I actually know.
Ooh, Daniel knows something.. I assume the 8 score is a hint in that regard, right?
Dan knows stuff. I always thought Dan knew things. He's like an evil god who knows how our universe will be shaped, but can't tell us. We bow to you..
+9999999999999999999
+10000
Imagine that, a category that none of us see in the store for an app that is rumoured to be hidden.
Any rumor on the sought after Myspace app?
MySpace was revealed through a bug in Nokias app highlights
JK...I could care less.
LMAO!
Oh lmao
LMAO!!!!!
All WP8 needs is the Glasgow city council app and that's us then :)
Lol. What's that useful for, returning library books? #DundeeCityCouncilGetYourActTogether
Great. Instagram and Temple run will be out of the way.

Wonder what app people will complain about next?
Hope this is true though. The platform needs this more than ever.
The next plausible is more XBox games.
Ruzzle, snapchat, (city and farm simulations)
Those are good guesses
I work with teens, fun run and snapchat are big right now
I'm a teen, and I've never heard of fun run.
Quoted for troof!
"Great. Instagram and Temple run will be out of the way. Wonder what app people will complain about next?" My prediction is Rocklive will be the app to cry about.
That and the constant tears over a "notification center".
Flipboard and Pinterest for me....
VINE! Also snapchat, tumblr, and flipboard. And more exclusive games. Be careful what you ask, lol!
Vine isn't even on Android yet, so give it time.
The furby app
My god I hate running-games. And seriously the fuss about Temple run baffles me.
But in glad for popular apps appearing :)
This has been so crazy
what about real racing 2 as achiefements areup wonder if it was canned
I get the Instagram and real racing, but the Temple Run thing blows my mind. Absolutely don't get all the hype over it.