Instagram Updated With Improved Camera Interface, Design Tweaks, Foursquare Buttons, New “Willow” Filter

Same Instagram, fresh coat of paint.

A big Instagram update is now available for Android and iOS devices. The camera interface of the app has been improved with a quick preview of the last picture you took on your device. Now there’s an optional grid guide for taking pictures and a permanent grid to help you with aligning when you’re scaling and cropping. For iPhone 5 users, Instagram has included an “improved Camera Roll image selector for quick access to your last photograph.”

Today’s update also includes a number of speed enhancements, Foursquare buttons, several design tweaks, and a new filter called “Willow.”

It’s Willow!

From the Instagram blog:

Today we’re excited to announce the release of the largest upgrade to our Instagram iOS camera since it was revamped just over one year ago. The camera has been the core part of the Instagram experience since the day we launched and as a result, we’ve made significant improvements to its look and speed.

The new Willow filter gives pics a “monochrome look with subtle purple tones and a translucent glowing white border.”

You’ve always been able to search for locations with Foursquare in Instagram, but this latest update integrates Foursquare buttons to send you to Foursquare’s app or the web for more info on a venue.

Instagram’s tilt-shift feature has been rewritten for improved accuracy and quality. Interface tweaks include a simplified News Feed, new welcome screen, and infinite scrolling for profiles and grid views. On iOS, Instagram photos are now saved to the Camera Roll under a dedicated album.

Today’s update follows some recent controversy with Instagram involving sharing images on Twitter. Over the weekend, Instagram shut off the ability to preview shared pics in Twitter. The move is mean to help promote the new web presence Instagram is trying to build in conjunction with Facebook. Twitter is expected to launch Instagram-like photo filters for its mobile app users before the end of the year.

Grab this latest Instagram update in Google Play or the App Store. It should be going live any moment now.