If early launch rumors are to be believed, the launch of Samsung's Galaxy S24 series of smartphones is not far off. In fact, one report has Wednesday, January 17 as a notable date, and Samsung is expected to feature artificial intelligence in a big way in its next flagship device. [There is talk that the Galaxy S24 Ultra model will feature a new 50MP telephoto sensor and clever video tricks. And Samsung seems to be planning something to make the most of Instagram.

Digging into the latest version of the Instagram app, mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi found a sentence aimed squarely at owners of Samsung's upcoming flagship smartphone. It details a splash screen that informs S24 owners that they can now "turn on the [lock screen] shortcut to the Instagram camera in Settings."

It essentially shortens the time needed to start snapping or capturing footage, which could prove useful when you need to react to something quickly. The entire process of unlocking your phone and launching Instagram may only take a few seconds, but it could be the difference between capturing viral dynamite or missing out entirely.

As 9to5Google reminds us, this is not the first time Samsung and Meta-owned Instagram have collaborated on exclusive software tweaks. Samsung's Galaxy S10 has an "Instagram mode" in its built-in camera app, meanwhile letting users post stories directly. The tablet layout of the app for Android also debuted on the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

It is unclear if this is planned for all S24 models, but there is no technical reason not to include it. As for the Galaxy S24 vs. S24 Plus vs. S24 Ultra, the main differences are narrowed down to screen size, battery capacity, and camera performance, and all three are expected to share Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor in the US (except the Ultra model in other regions, which is expected to have an Exynos 2400).

Will Instagram integration be included in all three models? We will probably find out in January.