In December 2017, Instagram launched its standalone messaging app, Direct. The app was pretty simple in design and reminiscent of Snapchat. Like its competitor, Direct opened straight to the camera to encourage users to share. “Direct has grown within Instagram over the past four years, but we can make it even better if it stands on its own,” a product manager told The Verge at the time. “We can push the boundaries to create the fastest and most creative space for private sharing when Direct is a camera-first, standalone app.” Two years later, it seems that Direct has reached its limit because Instagram will no longer support the app starting this upcoming month. The update was spotted and tweeted by Matt Navarra , a social media industry commentator. Users who open Direct now are greeted by a message saying, “The Direct app is going away.” Confirmed: Instagram is killing its standalone Direct Messaging app pic.twitter.com/owt2gXtfCE — Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) May 16, 2019...