Since this is a translation of an overseas article, there may be some mistranslations.
https://www.avpasion.com/instagram-televisores-samsung-reels-salon/
Instagram lands on Samsung TVs with a radical format change.
It's becoming increasingly clear that Instagram is not content to stay on mobile devices. For a very long time, Instagram has been the app we open without thinking, check stories, endlessly scroll through Reels, or quickly show interesting videos to the person next to us. But what started as "Hey, look at this" ultimately led to three people hanging out on a small screen. It seems that Meta is finally making a move.
Meta announced the launch of an 'Instagram for TV' app targeting Samsung TVs in the US, specifically models released after 2020. This is a very clever move. Samsung has immense influence in the TV market, and this app has already started appearing on Amazon Fire TV and Google TV.
Of course, there's no official launch date for other countries yet. It's not just a matter of moving all mobile activities to the TV either. Their idea is to create an environment optimized for remote control operation, where Reels, Stories, and creators' content can be viewed on a large screen, allowing more people to enjoy videos together on the living room sofa.
Instagram aims to move Reels from mobile to TV
This strategy is more logical than it seems. Reels have already become a daily consumption content for many people. We watch Reels while waiting for coffee, before bed, on public transportation, or with the TV playing as background noise without paying much attention. Now Meta is reversing the situation and making the TV itself the main space for watching these videos.
The TV app isn't designed by simply cramming regular Instagram onto smart TVs. It categorizes content by interest, organizes video channels, themes, and creators to help users easily access and immerse themselves. This is closer to the experience of turning on a video app than endlessly scrolling through a screen with your fingers, which feels more natural on a TV.
Here's an important detail: Meta is testing Stories and horizontal format content on the big screen. The horizontal format is particularly crucial. Watching vertical videos on mobile and filling a 55-inch, 65-inch, or 75-inch TV screen are completely different experiences. For Instagram to seriously target the living room space, it needs to adapt to how people use large screens.
Not a revolution, but a very clear signal
Honestly, it's unlikely that everyone will suddenly put their smartphones on the table and watch Instagram on TV for two hours starting tomorrow. That would be an exaggeration. Mobile will still be at the center of Instagram. The app was born there, and the most natural way to use it is fast, personal, and quite impulsive.
Nevertheless, this move is interesting because it shows where the competition surrounding the living room screen is headed. In the past, smart TVs were all about Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, YouTube, and so on. But now, more and more apps, short-form videos, live streaming, creator content, and platforms are emerging that want to steal even a few minutes of your time in the living room.
In this situation, Instagram doesn't just want to watch. Just as YouTube has succeeded in becoming a must-have app on all TVs, Meta also seems to be trying to challenge with a similar formula, putting Reels, Stories, and creators at the forefront. This is no easy feat, as it involves dealing with content that many people already consume daily without much thought.
Living Room TV, Different from the Past
The most interesting thing in all of this is that things that were once considered exclusive to mobile devices are now filling the living room TV. TVs are no longer just spaces for watching movies, dramas, and sports. They can become spaces where you can enjoy cloud games without touching your smartphone, listen to music, make video calls, watch live broadcasts, or consume short-form videos one after another.
This change is a fairly logical trend regardless of personal preferences. If homes are increasingly equipped with large screens that have better picture quality, superior sound, and a more complete operating system, it was only a matter of time before social media invaded them. The remaining task is how well this experience is implemented and whether it avoids feeling awkward like sticking a giant smartphone on the wall.
In conclusion, Instagram aims to make a big push into living rooms by leveraging Samsung smart TVs in the US, followed by Fire TV and Google TV. It remains to be seen when it will expand to more countries, whether it will appear on other platforms, and whether users will actually want to watch Reels on their TVs. But Meta's message is clear: Instagram no longer wants to be just an app that you glance at while the TV is on; it wants to become part of the content you watch on your TV screen.
▶ Original source: https://www.avpasion.com/instagram-televisores-samsung-reels-salon/
