Billions have enjoyed watching Reels on their phone but Instagram is now bringing the short videos and other features to your big screen. That’s right, Instagram for TV has started testing and for now users
with a Fire TV Stick device get to use the popular app on the big screen and even watch Reels on it among other things.
So why is Instagram doing this? The platform says users have found watching Reels together is more fun and what better way to increase its viewership than having a dedicated app that runs on the TV and allows more than a few people to sit around and watch videos on the big screen.
Instagram For TV Starts Testing: How It Works
Instagram For TV is going to be available on a Fire TV Stick or TV in the US for the time being but the company plans to expand to more regions and devices in the near future.
To use Instagram on TV you need to install the app and then sign in with your Instagram account. The platform lets you add up to five accounts for everyone to access the app and watch their own content/reels. Instagram will focus on delivering Reels to your main feed which includes content around music, sports, travel and even the trending videos. You can even search for creators and watch their content on the big screen.
Instagram plans to convert your phone into a remote and let you stream the videos and profile with the phone as the main control hub. It will also include the option to share feeds/reels with friends, something that is likely to increase its usage over time.
It is not surprising to see Instagram bring Reels to the TV at a time when short video consumption seems to have overtaken the regular video spent time. YouTube Shorts is the obvious rival in this space but discounting TikTok in the available markets is a tough call.
The company says it will continue to experiment with new features to make the app functional and popular on the big screen but we are eager to see how that translates into viewership and overall user base growth.
