Instagram Chases YouTube With a Push For Longer, Widescreen Videos
Instagram is testing a new longform, horizontal video format called "Features" as it pushes further into YouTube territory and expands its presence on TVs. The Verge reports: Instagram boss Adam Mosseri has been against doing longform video on the platform "for a long time," he says in a six-and-a-half-minute video (here's the widescreen version) with VP of product Tessa Lyons, saying that "one…
Instagram is experimenting with a new long-form, horizontal video format known as "Features" as it seeks to increase its influence on YouTube and broader TV platforms. According to The Verge, Instagram's chief Adam Mosseri initially was opposed to the idea of long-form video on the platform. In a lengthy video interview with product VP Tessa Lyons, Mosseri expressed concern about how Instagram might maintain its focus on connecting friends and family, as long-form videos could lead to less engagement in the form of likes and shares.
However, the company is now working to merge short-form and long-form videos, similar to how podcasts or comedy specials can be both lengthy and segmented. This push for wider, longer videos aligns with the recent launch of Instagram's TV app, which initially began as a Reels-focused service on Amazon Fire TV devices in the US but has since been made available on Google TVs, Samsung TVs, and Apple TV.
Earlier this year, Instagram also introduced new features allowing users to watch Stories on these television platforms.
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