Vine updates Android app with autocomplete and tagging

Vine has thrived since debuting on Android in June, tripling user base in two months

I'll say this for Vine: it knows where its bread is buttered. The app that had seen its users skyrocket thanks to its Android app has rewarded those users with some new features.

The release of the newly updated version of the Android app was announced via Tweet on Wednesday. 

Vine for Android now includes mentions - tag people in your posts and comments. Plus, hashtag auto-complete & more https://t.co/xEtAOyzRFO

— Vine (@vineapp) August 22, 2013

The app now allows users to mention their friends in posts and comments. They also included the addition of autocompletion on hashtags in text fields, as well as the usual "bug fixes and improvements."

These updates may not seem like much, but they are features that already exist on the iOS version, so this helps brings Vine on Android just one step closer to being on par with its other platform rival.

And, honestly, Vine should do everything it can to please Android users. In June, the app had only 13 million users when it was only available on iOS. On Tuesday, the app announced that it had reached 40 million users. That was due, at least in part, to the release of its version on Android back in June. Since debuting on Android the same month, the apps numbers have more than tripled.

The influx on Android users is also at least somewhat responsible for the app surviving the direct assault from Instagram, which debuted its own video feature in June as well, as many thought Vine would see a dip. but it seems like those Android users really wanted to see what Vine was all about.

That's not to say that Vine isn't doing fine on iOS as well. Right now, it is ranked at number 8 for free apps on the iPhone in the United States, only two spots behind Instagram, which sits at number 6, according to AppData. 

When it debuted on Android, Vine had all of the same features as its iOS counterpart, including Explore, which allows users to find popular and trending posts and Find Friend, where they can invite their friends to join Vine, but the Android app also had a new, unique feature: zoom.

Vine, which was founded in June 2012, was then purchased by Twitter in October of last year before making its official debut in January.

Since then some new features that it has added included making it possible for users to embed Vine posts on the Web, as well as trending hashtags that show users the fastest-rising hashtags on the service.

By April, it was the top free app on iOS. And, thanks to Android, it is still alive and well.

This update was first spotted by Engadet. 

(Image source: https://www.businessinsider.com)