Instagram tests Tik-Tok-like full-screen video posts on the feed

Meta brings “video more front and center” with the new update to its Instagram app. No, we are not talking about Reels here, but rather the videos on the home feed. Yes, those vertical feed videos are now taller covering the entire screen. As for the text that used to be at the bottom of the video before, it is now superimposed on the bottom portion of the video. 

Here's Instagram head Adam Mosseri introducing the new feature:

Instagram full-screen feed video: How it looks and works

Instagram's TikTok-inspired feed.​

The homescreen feed videos on Instagram are taller now and take the entire vertical real estate. It is immersive as you mostly see that particular video content only. The text content related to the video is overlaid on the video. This includes things like the user name and details, video caption, the like activity, comment count, the tag count, the music track used in the video, the heart, speech bubble, and share icons. In our experience, the hovering texts don’t appear that distracting.

As for the bottom navigation bar elements like the search/discovery tool, Reels, and profile tab are in their respective location. The same goes for the top bar elements like the ones for switching accounts, creating a post, and DM. 

The Stories section is also in the same position as it was before.

So, the vertical full-screen videos on the home feed seem yet another attempt of Instagram in holding users' attention on its content for a longer time. And once you immerse in the platform, that's more eyeballs for the ads.

We will see how this new Instagram update fares among the broader userbase as currently, it is in testing among some Instagrammers only.

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