News

Instagram Tests Vertical Profile Grids Instead Of Squares

A company spokesperson says the “limited test” is happening because the “vast majority” of Instagram uploads are vertically-oriented content.

Published

8 months ago

August 19, 2024

Nour Nasir

Instagram is testing a potentially major change to profile pages: making the squares in your profile grid vertical rectangles. Some users recently spotted the test, and there have been indications from at least 2022 that the company has toyed with a rectangular grid.

“The vast majority of what is uploaded to Instagram today is vertical,” Instagram chief Adam Mosseri explained in a Story on Friday, August 16, discussing the test. “It’s either 4 by 3 in a photo or 9 by 16 in a video, and cropping it down to square is pretty brutal”.

Mosseri revealed that “squares are from way back in the day when you could only upload square photos to Instagram,” a limitation the platform removed nearly a decade ago. Mosseri told users that the company knows that the changes may be annoying for those who have spent a great deal of effort and time “curating and making sure everything lines up” but says, “I would really like to do better by the content today”.

“We’re testing a vertical profile grid with a small number of people,” Instagram spokesperson Christine Pai said in a recent statement to journalists. “This is a limited test, and we’ll be listening to feedback from the community before rolling anything out further”.

So it looks as though perfectionists who have planned out their profile grids around squares might be a little annoyed when the entire site moves over to vertical rectangle content.

Also Read: How To Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account

Here’s the full transcript of Mosseri’s explanation:

“We’re actually testing a vertical grid, for those of you who haven’t seen it yet, for your profile, instead of squares. Now, squares are from way back in the day when you can only upload square photos to Instagram. I know this can be annoying for some of you who really spent a lot of time curating and making sure everything lines up, but I would really like to do better by the content today. The vast majority of what is uploaded to Instagram today is vertical. It’s either 4 by 3 in a photo or 9 by 16 in a video, and cropping it down to square is pretty brutal. So, I’m hoping we can figure out a way to manage this transition”.

News

Rabbit Expands Hyperlocal Delivery Service In Saudi Arabia

The e-commerce startup is aiming to tap into the Kingdom’s underdeveloped e-grocery sector with a tech-first, locally rooted strategy.

Published

19 hours ago

April 7, 2025

Nour Nasir

Rabbit

Rabbit, an Egyptian-born hyperlocal e-commerce startup, is expanding into the Saudi Arabian market, setting its sights on delivering 20 million items across major cities by 2026.

The company, founded in 2021, is already operational in the Kingdom, with its regional headquarters now open in Riyadh and an established network of strategically located fulfillment centers — commonly known as “dark stores” — across the capital.

The timing is strategic: Saudi Arabia’s online grocery transactions currently sit at 1.3%, notably behind the UAE (5.3%) and the United States (4.8%). With the Kingdom’s food and grocery market estimated at $60 billion, even a modest increase in online adoption could create a multi-billion-dollar opportunity.

Rabbit also sees a clear alignment between its business goals and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to boost retail sector innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises, attract foreign investment, and develop a robust digital economy.

The company’s e-commerce model is based on speed and efficiency. Delivery of anything from groceries and snacks to cosmetics and household staples is promised in 20 minutes or less, facilitated by a tightly optimized logistics system — a crucial component in a sector where profit margins and delivery expectations are razor-thin.

Despite the challenges, Rabbit has already found its stride in Egypt. In just over three years, the app has been used by 1.4 million customers to deliver more than 40 million items. Revenue has surged, growing more than eightfold in the past two years alone.

Also Read: Top E-Commerce Websites In The Middle East In 2025

CEO and Co-Founder Ahmad Yousry commented: “We are delighted to announce Rabbit’s expansion into the Kingdom. We pride ourselves on being a hyperlocal company, bringing our bleeding-edge tech and experience to transform the grocery shopping experience for Saudi households, and delivering the best products – especially local favorites, in just 20 minutes”.

The company’s growth strategy avoids the pitfalls of over-reliance on aggressive discounting. Instead, Rabbit leans on operational efficiency, customer retention, and smart scaling. The approach is paying off, having already attracted major investment from the likes of Lorax Capital Partners, Global Ventures, Raed Ventures, and Beltone Venture Capital, alongside earlier investors such as Global Founders Capital, Goodwater Capital, and Hub71.