Instagram is currently testing a feature that converts all video posts into reels.
The feature is apparently being tested with a select number of users internationally as part of Instagram’s aim to streamline the videos available on the app, according to the company.
A social media expert also tweeted a snapshot of the test participants’ app popup, informing them that their video posts will now be shared as Instagram Reels.
The screenshot shared by Matt Navara shows that if your account is public and you publish a video that becomes a Reel, anyone can find your Reel and use your original audio to make their own Reel. Your Reel will only be available to your followers if your account is set to private. The notification also mentions that if your account is public, anyone can build a mashup with your Reel. However, you can disable remixing of your Reels in your account options.
However, it is unclear what will happen to previously posted Instagram videos and whether you will still be able to upload 10-minute movies or up to 60-minute videos if the account is verified.
Instagram has not yet specified a date for the new feature. The social networking site is also expected to announce soon what will happen to the platform’s existing video content.
The test comes at a time when Meta has been betting heavily on Reels. As part of its Q1 2022 earnings, the company revealed that Reels now account for more than 20% of the time spent on Instagram. It’s not unexpected that Instagram is seeking to expand Reels even further by completely replacing video posts. If the firm decides to make this adjustment permanent, it may be able to boast about customers spending even more time watching Reels.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri stated last year that the app was “no longer a photo-sharing app,” stressing that the firm was emphasizing a transition into video in the face of heavy competition from TikTok and YouTube.
