Instagram is planning to attract more TV viewers by experimenting with long-form video formats, series and live broadcasts on its TV app, as the service seeks to expand beyond mobile screens and compete with streaming giants directly in users' living rooms.
Instagram is planning to attract more TV viewers by experimenting with long-form video formats, series and live broadcasts on its TV app, as the service seeks to expand beyond mobile screens and compete with streaming giants directly in users' living rooms.
TechCrunch reports on the new plans and expanded features of the TV app. The update aims to change the perception of the platform as a mobile-only application and attract an audience that prefers to consume content on large screens.
The Instagram TV app is now available on Samsung smart TVs, in addition to the already supported Amazon Fire and Google TV platforms. Along with the expansion of distribution, the developers are introducing several important features. In particular, the application will feature thematic channels selected according to the interests of the user and the authors to whom he is subscribed. Instagram notes that this will make it easier to watch videos together in a company or with a family.
The company is also testing a dedicated section for horizontal videos, a move that lays the groundwork for Instagram’s long-term plans to expand into the home entertainment market.
Other technical innovations include the ability to stream Reels or saved content directly from a smartphone to a TV. In addition, users will now be able to watch regular Stories on TV, whereas previously the functionality was limited to viewing Reels only.
Meta has previously started testing a new «Series» feature for Reels on Instagram and Facebook, which is designed to make it easier to watch episodic content. While Instagram has previously competed for users’ attention mainly with TikTok and YouTube, the launch of a TV app and long-form content signals the company’s intention to enter the territory of streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
