Meet Instagram. It's a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your photos with friends and family. Thirty-million plus iPhone and iPad users use Instagram to create share pictures.

Now Android smartphone users can now download the app. What???

Sitting on Apple's App Store App Hall of Fame and named "the App of the Year" for 2011, Instagram was launched in Apple's App Store in October 2010. The early version allowed users to shoot and share "hip" or "cool" photos. Later filters were added to let users transform the look and feel of the photos. Users were later allowed to put captions and connect with other users via Twitter-like hashtags.

The app was exclusive to Apple mobile devices until April 3, when the app was made available for Android devices. The release of the Android version has been highly anticipated -- more than one million downloads were made to Android devices on the first day.

But the Android version hasn't received the same praise as the iOS version. Some 1,500 of the 26,000 users who gave reviews on Google Play gave the app a "one star". Owners of HTC and Samsung devices have also reported bugs, including poor quality of photos, import problems and the camera function crashing. Instagram though has released two bug fixes.

iOS users though are also complaining over the release of the app for Android devices. Some long-standing users have blamed the Android users for the sudden influx of bad pictures. The app is too hip for Android, they say.

The developers of Instagram appear to have ignited a war between #TeamAndroid and #TeamiPhone.

Although the app is available as a freeware, Instagram Inc., its skyrocketing popularity is making its brand more valuable. While there are already 30 million registered users and 5 million photos are uploaded every day, Apple just has holds 20% of the smartphone market. Making the device available to Samsung, HTC and other Android devices (that means 40% of smartphones) will help Instagram boost its ranking among the top used and downloaded apps.

But there are concerns that Instagram would lose its cult-following from loyal Apple fan-boys with the app's availability in other platforms?

Will Instagram lose its novelty with the release of the Android version?

Tell us what you think.

For any concerns, e-mail author at c.fernandez@ibtimes.com.au