The TV’s comeback: Your favorite Instagram reels jump from mobile to the big screen

For years, vertical video was confined to the mobile screen, but Instagram has declared war for living room attention. Meta has announced the launch of its Reels application for Smart TV, taking a strategic step to conquer new screens in a territory dominated by YouTube and TikTok. The initial test is kicking off in the United States through Amazon Fire TV devices, allowing users to watch those addictive clips in the high definition of their television.

This move underscores Instagram’s ambition to solidify itself as a relevant video platform beyond mobile, especially after its failed attempt with IGTV, the long form video app that was shut down in 2022.

Vertical, short and customizable in high definition

Tessa Lyons, Vice President of Product at Instagram, has made it clear: The initial intent is to perfect the experience before thinking about monetization. Creators and users should keep the following key points in mind:

• The format stays: Reels “will remain vertical videos” and will not be reformatted to fit the TV’s horizontal design. This ensures the original experience that our community loves.

• Duration matters: The application will maintain its focus on short clips, showing videos of “three minutes or less.”

• Netflix-like experience: Upon opening the app on the TV, the interface will be similar to streaming platforms: A screen will appear to select the user’s profile, with the ability to add up to five individual accounts synchronized with the mobile application.

The reason for the move: Where attention goes, Instagram follows

Instagram’s expansion to the TV is not a whim; it is a direct response to where users are spending their time. Platforms like YouTube have already consolidated themselves as the primary medium for large screen video consumption, playing over 1 billion hours of videos daily in the United States alone.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, anticipated this need: “TV is an increasingly important medium; it’s been very important for YouTube… and it’s been very important for TikTok. And so we want to figure out how to make sure that our presence is compelling across all the relevant devices.”

With the arrival of reels to television, Instagram not only seeks to maintain its relevance but also offers our community a more comfortable and social way to enjoy viral content, closing the gap between mobile, interactive consumption and the passive living room experience.