A report in the New York Times claims that Twitter will be slugging it out with Instagram in the near future by offering its own range of image filters to users.

The reports says that “In the coming months, Twitter plans to update its mobile applications to introduce filters for photos that will allow people to share altered images on Twitter and bypass Instagram, the popular mobilecentric photo-sharing network, according to people who work at the company but asked not to be named as they are not allowed to discuss unannounced projects.”

Should this information prove to be accurate it may throw a spanner into the Facebook-owned Instagram’s growth, particularly since the report indicates that there may be some high-profile names approving of or endorsing the new feature. Those who use Instagram often share their images via Twitter and this step may cut out the middleman.

“According to one Twitter employee, the company’s V.I.T.’s, or Very Important Tweeters, as they are known internally, usually celebrities and media personalities, would be especially happy to see filters in the Twitter mobile apps. Most V.I.T.’s now use Instagram to take photos, and then share them on Twitter, where they often have a larger following.”

However it could just as easily fail to make an impression on Instagram’s audience. Twitter might not be able to generate the mindshare that Instagram enjoys among its audience.

Source: CNET