Facebook to Add Photo Filters to Mobile App

A new report from the New York Times claims that Facebook is preparing to roll out Instagram style image filters on their mobile app, joining an already crowded marketplace of applications designed to up the saturation and down the contrast on the images you’ve snapped with your iPhone.

According to the NYT’s sources, the upgrade is ready to be released, but Facebook wants more filters to be available before they finally unveil the change. The rumor pegs that there will be twelve filters available when it does release, compared to Instagram’s fifteen. They also claim that Facebook attempted to acquire Instagram over the Summer, but were rebuffed.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Facebook has been flirting with filters — back in June a major information leak showed Facebook was working on an entirely overhauled image sharing app, including lomo filters. Facebook isn’t the only one either, it looks like the next version of iOS will have some of these image tweaks built in as well— meaning faux-vintage cellphone photography is here to stay, at least for now…