Instagram has long required a constant internet connection to even function, some devices do cache a limited amount of recently view photos which you can browse when offline, but any likes or actions you take won’t get saved.
Facebook introduced Facebook Lite around two years ago, which is designed mainly for the emerging markets where 4G and faster internet connections aren’t so widely available and also for lower end Android One phones.
At the F8 conference Facebook revealed that Instagram will to get a similar feature on Android phones. The app will be able to function without any internet connection, allowing users to browse the Explore tabs, leave comments on photos and unfollow other users, those actions will go through and sync when the device reconnects to the internet.
TechCrunch did speak to Instagram for more information, specifically about the adding this feature to the iOS application and they are exploring the idea.