Facebook announced Instant Articles earlier this year, explaining that the new feature would allow publishers to create and provide content to readers without ever leaving the platform. Over 200 publishers such as National Geographic, BuzzFeed, The Guardian, and The New York Times, have since participated in Instant Articles, which up until today wasn’t available to users in many other locations.
In a Facebook blog post, TR Vishwanath explained that one of the benefits of Instant Articles for users is the ability to access and load videos and photos faster through mobile apps, creating a more convenient and interactive experience. It also provides publishers with additional opportunities to publish and share content directly from Facebook while earning additional ad revenue.
In November, according to The Wall Street Journal, ads for job openings at Facebook’s Singapore headquarters indicated that the platform’s plans to offer Instant Articles in not just India, but also Vietnam and Thailand. As of a couple weeks ago, Instant Articles was limited to iOS users. Because of its heavy Android market, India is currently the only country where Android users can use the Instant Articles function. Publishers using Facebook Instant Articles in India include India Today and The Indian Express among others.
It isn’t clear when the feature will be available for Android users in Latin America, but Facebook says it will be “in the coming” weeks.
