Instagram Tests 90-minute Videos In Push Toward Tv
Instagram is testing horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long, alongside tools that connect short Reels to longer viewing on phones and TVs.
Instagram is testing a long-form video format called “Features” that supports horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. The move gives creators a way to publish substantially longer videos while Instagram experiments with connecting them to the short Reels its users already watch. The test is underway with some creators in Brazil and is expanding on a small scale to the United States, according to TechCrunch and The Verge.
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How the new format works
Features will be watchable in the Instagram app, but the company also wants viewers to use its TV apps, Engadget reports. The outlet says access to making the videos is currently limited to a few creators with individual deals with Meta, with comedians and podcasters among those being targeted. Instagram has not announced a wider release for the format in the reports.
Instagram is also testing a tool called “Clips as Reels,” according to TechCrunch. It lets creators turn portions of a longer video into Reels that point viewers to the full version. Viewers can save a longer video to send to the Instagram app on their TV. Other work includes a way to group related Reels into a series and improvements to the discovery of live video, TechCrunch and The Verge report.
Why Instagram is revisiting long-form video
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said he had long been reluctant to bring longer videos to the platform. As The Verge reports, he was concerned that time spent watching them could displace the Reels, photos and other posts people share with friends. The new approach is intended to make the formats work together: a short clip could lead someone to a full podcast episode or comedy special.
Instagram has tried longer video before. Its earlier IGTV effort did not gain much traction, and the separate app shut down in 2022, according to Engadget. This time, television viewing is part of the plan. Engadget says Instagram’s TV presence began with a Reels-focused Fire TV app and has expanded to Apple TV, Samsung and Google TV devices. Mosseri has cautioned that getting the new approach right will take time.
The unanswered question for creators
Whether longer videos will bring creators a new source of income remains unclear. TechCrunch notes that Instagram creators primarily earn through brands, with some earning from fans, while YouTube shares advertising revenue with creators in its Partner Program. A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch it is too early to set out a long-term monetization model for Features, though the company is exploring ways creators might earn from brands, fans and Instagram itself.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.