Prime Highlights:
- Meta has started testing an Instagram for TV app in the U.S., bringing Reels videos to Amazon Fire TV devices.
- The move reflects Instagram’s push to grow as a video platform beyond mobile and reach viewers on larger screens.
Key Facts:
- The TV app will show short Reels videos that are three minutes or less and will keep the vertical video format.
- Users can link up to five Instagram accounts to one TV account, with content filtered to suit a broad audience.
Background:
Meta is expanding into video streaming with Instagram for TV, now being tested in the U.S. on Amazon Fire TV. The app aims to bring Instagram’s popular Reels videos, short-form clips often created by individual users, to television screens, expanding the platform’s reach beyond smartphones.
Tessa Lyons, Instagram’s Vice President of Product, said that Meta plans to roll out the app to other streaming devices in the future, though no specific partners were named. Lyons emphasized that the company’s priority is delivering a high-quality viewing experience, rather than immediate advertising monetization.
Lyons said that in 2026, Instagram will focus on showing popular mobile content in a way that works well on TV. Later, the company may explore ads and longer videos.
Instagram for TV will maintain the vertical format of Reels, with videos capped at three minutes. This is different from Meta’s earlier IGTV app, which focused on long videos but was shut down in 2022 as Reels became more popular.
The TV app will include channels based on interests like sports, music, and travel. Users can link up to five Instagram accounts to one TV account, with content kept safe for everyone.
This shows Meta is competing with TikTok and YouTube, giving people a new way to watch Reels on big screens.
