Every Instagram user in the world knows what are Reels and how impactful it is when it comes to using the social media app.
According to a report by TechCrunch, Instagram is now testing a feature in which all the videos you upload on Instagram will automatically turn into a reel. The company said that the new feature, which is only available now for a few selected users, will make video sharing more simplified on the app. This is a big development for people who use Instagram for various purposes such as marketing and education etc.
Videos which are automatically converted to reels when uploaded can make the process of putting stories easier on Instagram.
A spokesperson of Meta Platforms, Inc. who currently owns the social media app said in a mail to TechCrunch that the new feature is part of the company’s efforts to simplify and improve the video experience on the app.
As a confirmation of the new development, Social Media consultant Matt Navarra tweeted a screenshot on Twitter. According to the screenshot, users who got access to the feature during the testing stage got an app message stating, “video posts are now shared as Reels.”
Instagram is now making EVERY video a Reel
h/t @ChristinaSBG pic.twitter.com/YLRDhT1nw0
— Matt Navarra (I quit X. Follow me on Threads) (@MattNavarra) June 30, 2022
The in-app message also states that the new feature enables users to enhance the uploaded using music, effects, and editing tools.
The message moves on, saying that if your account is public, then the video you post will automatically end up as a reel. Anyone can find out the real and remix it to new reels. If users want to stop other people from using the reels to remix, they can turn on remixing for settings generally or individually on each reel.
Reels from Instagram accounts which are private can only be accessed by followers of that account.
Problems associated with converting all videos into reels
If the feature gets launched worldwide after the testing phase, the biggest challenge faced by the users will be the format of the video. Making all videos into Reels means that users can find it difficult to upload and post horizontal video format as Reels mainly showcases vertical videos.
Also, there is no information from the company or the app regarding whether the new feature will apply to videos uploaded in the past.
Release Date
The company has not released any statement of information regarding the launch date or any such specifics.
Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, had last year informed about the priorities of Instagram in 2022. He told that the company would focus on developing new features for reels and video format posts. That is not surprising as almost 20% of app viewership is from Reels.
This increase in focus on Reels and shorter video formats also indicated that the company is going after TikTok in the short video entertainment sector. The new features under testing can also be a challenge for YouTube Shorts
