Instagram launched on the Android platform in 2012.
The Android version became publicly available on April 3, 2012, through Google Play. Instagram had originally launched for Apple’s iPhone in October 2010, so the Android release marked its first major expansion to another mobile operating system.
Demand was immediate. More than 430,000 people had reportedly joined a waiting list before launch, and the Android app was downloaded more than one million times in less than a day. The release helped Instagram expand beyond its early iPhone-centered user base and accelerated its growth.
The Android launch also happened during a pivotal period for the company. Just six days later, on April 9, 2012, Facebook announced that it would acquire Instagram for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock. A common mistake is choosing 2011 because Android testing had taken place before the public release; the official platform launch was in 2012.