Overview
- Instagram has begun a limited U.S. test of a product called Features that permits horizontal videos as long as 90 minutes and connects short Reels clips to the full file.
- Meta describes the rollout as an early, feedback-driven experiment and says it is "testing and listening to feedback on the fly" before any wider release.
- The trial is currently available only to a select group of creators on mobile, with the company stating the goal of bringing the same viewing experience to Instagram for TV.
- The change signals a tactical move to keep creators and ad dollars on Instagram by supporting longer formats such as video podcasts and interviews that advertisers can monetize more easily.
- If expanded, the shift could pull creator time and advertising spend toward Instagram and away from long-form platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Netflix, while giving creators new options for episodic and long-form storytelling.