Redakcja Choose TV
For years Instagram was mainly associated with smartphones, but the platform is increasingly making inroads into the world of TVs. Meta has announced that the Instagram for TV app will be made available on Samsung Smart TVs. The feature was previously available on Amazon Fire TV and Google TV devices, but will now reach a much wider audience. It's another step in the battle for viewers' time in front of the TV, which is currently dominated by streaming services and YouTube.
Reels and Stories on the big screen
A new app will let users browse Instagram’s popular formats directly on their TV. The screen will show, among other things, Reels, Stories and channels from creators the user follows. The solution aims to make it easier to watch content with family or friends without having to pass a smartphone around. Instagram emphasises that more and more content published by creators is entertainment-focused and looks good on a large screen. The feature will be available on Samsung Smart TVs manufactured from 2020 onwards. That will give millions of users access to their favourite social platform without the need for additional devices. Meta expects watching short-form videos on TV to become a natural part of home entertainment. In practice, this means people can comfortably follow favourite creators while relaxing on the couch. For many, it could also be an alternative to traditional video platforms. Instagram hopes to boost user engagement and increase time spent on the service. Bringing the app to TVs fits a wider trend of moving social media onto larger screens. More companies are spotting the potential in combining social features with the home entertainment centre.
Meta ma większe plany i celuje w rywala YouTube
Launching the app on Samsung TVs is just the beginning. The company is already testing further solutions that could significantly expand the platform’s capabilities. Among them is a dedicated section for horizontal content, better suited for viewing on TVs. It’s a clear sign that Instagram wants to step up competition with YouTube, which has dominated the large-screen segment for years. According to available data, YouTube remains the most-watched video platform on TVs in the United States. Meta plans to gradually build its own position in this segment. Longer videos, live streams and episodic series-style content are also being tested. The company is also working on a feature to cast Reels from a smartphone directly to Samsung TVs. A similar option is already available on Google TV and Fire TV devices. Developing these features could mean Instagram stops being just an app for browsing photos and short clips. The platform is increasingly moving towards becoming a full-fledged video content centre. If Meta’s plans succeed, users could spend significantly more time on Instagram in front of the TV in the future.
Instagram for TV is arriving on Samsung Smart TVs, offering access to Reels, Stories and other video content on the big screen. At the same time, Meta is developing new features for longer-form content, live broadcasts and horizontal content to help the platform better compete with YouTube.
source: cnet
