Instagram is launching the ability for users to share their locations with friends through DMs (direct messages), the company announced on Monday. The feature suggests that the Meta-owned social network wants to compete with services like Apple's Find My and Snapchat's Snap Map – a couple of the most popular services in the market for users to see their friends' and loved ones' live locations.

The launch of the feature does not come as a total surprise since Instagram was spotted testing a way through which users will get to see their friends' live locations earlier this year. It's worth noting that Meta's other messaging app, WhatsApp, has allowed users to share live locations with others for a rather long time.

Unlike Apple and Snapchat, which let you share your location with others indefinitely, Instagram is only letting users do so for up to one hour. Instagram says the feature can be used to coordinate arrival times or to find your friends in crowded spaces.

You can either share your location with one particular person, or you can share it with a group. When you share your location, only the people in that specific chat will be able to see your location. Your live location cannot be forwarded to other chats. You will also see at the top of the chat an indicator reminding you that you're currently sharing your live location.

Apparently, all live locations expire after one hour. Since WhatsApp allows you to share your location with others for up to eight hours, it's possible that Instagram's limit on the time within which you can share a location with others may change in the future.

The company said that this feature is currently available in select countries. TechCrunch reached out for more specifics.

Instagram announced on Monday that users can now customize names in DMs by adding nicknames for themselves or others. It says the feature can be used to share an inside joke, or simply shorten a lengthy username.

To create a nickname, open up a conversation and tap the top of the chat window. Tap "Nicknames." From there, choose which of the usernames you wish to give a nickname to. A nickname is only viewable in your DM chats.

And, Instagram is launching 17 new sticker packs containing over 300 stickers that you can send in DMs.