In recent hours, reports have been circulating that say Meta is considering releasing a separate app for short-form videos (known on Instagram as Reels).
The project is reportedly codenamed Project Ray and aims to improve video recommendations for new and existing users in the U.S. It is also expected to feature more three-minute videos, according to sources at The Information, which first reported the news.
Meta has not publicly confirmed the rumor about its separate Reels video app.
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Last month, the company announced a video editing app called Edits to compete with CapCut from ByteDance (owner of TikTok). The app was released at a time when TikTok and ByteDance's future in the US was uncertain.
Currently, Instagram's feed includes a mix of photos, videos (Reels), and Stories. However, all of this information is confusing to some users, who prefer Instagram as it was when it launched: a photo-sharing app.
If the company releases Reels as a separate app, Instagram could focus on photos again.
Earlier this year, Instagram began paying creators to promote Instagram on other platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. It also reportedly offers creators a lot of money to post Reels exclusively.
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If the idea of launching a separate app for Reels is true, then we can assume that Instagram is trying to strengthen its presence in the short-form video space. With the growing popularity of Reels, creating a separate app could give Instagram the ability to focus exclusively on this type of content and compete more directly with platforms like TikTok.
Such an application could lead to greater innovation and attract more content creators looking for a platform that better meets their needs.
Additionally, creating a separate app for Reels could help Instagram better manage the user experience, offering a more specialized and focused platform for users who are primarily interested in short-form videos. This could lead to increased engagement and time spent on the app.
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However, some users may not be thrilled with this change, as they may prefer to have all content, including videos, on Instagram.
For now, however, we are waiting for official confirmation from the company!
Source: techcrunch.com
