Instagram tests horizontal video format up to 90 minutes

Social media platform Instagram has started testing a new format in the US that allows creators to share horizontal videos of up to 90 minutes. It is also expanding its television application to Apple TV, offering support for Reels, Stories, and live streams.

Social media platform Instagram has announced new features targeting long-form videos and television screens. The new format, called “Features,” allows creators to share horizontal videos and prepare content lasting up to 90 minutes. The feature is currently being tested with a limited number of creators in the US and was previously tested in Brazil. Within the scope of the new format, creators can prepare short clips from their long videos and share them via Reels. Instagram aims to encourage the viewing of long-form videos on the platform, particularly podcasts and comedy content. Company executive Adam Mosseri has expressed concerns that long videos might reduce engagement with short content, while stating his hope that the two formats will support each other.

Instagram is also expanding its television app by bringing it to Apple TV. Launched in the United States, the application was previously available on Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Samsung TVs. The television apps now support Stories, live streams, and episodic content in addition to Reels. The company is also adding the Series feature, which allows creators to link multiple short videos together, to the television experience. Instagram does not currently offer an ad revenue sharing program like YouTube's; instead, it directly pays certain creators to support long-form content and is exploring monetization options through brands and fans on the platform in the future.