The social network Instagram, traditionally associated with mobile screens, is taking a decisive step towards large plasma panels. Meta is actively rolling out a major update to its proprietary TV app, aiming to establish itself in the user's living room and cross the line between short-form video and full-fledged streaming.

From TikTok to Netflix: A Shift in Development Vector

While Instagram previously competed mainly with TikTok and YouTube in the segment of mobile content consumption, its ambitions now extend far beyond the smartphone. The platform is beginning to compete directly with industry giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. This strategic pivot is directly linked to recent experiments by parent company Meta, which is introducing the Series feature for Reels in Instagram and Facebook. The new tool is designed to simplify tracking and viewing multi-episode content, turning disparate clips into structured stories.

Official Launch on Samsung Screens

As part of the expansion of functionality, Meta has announced the official release of its TV app for Samsung televisions. This event becomes a logical continuation of the audience reach strategy: the app was previously made available for devices based on Amazon Fire TV and Google TV. Now the service covers another mass category of smart TV owners, significantly increasing the potential user base.

Fundamental Interface Changes

In order to keep the viewer's attention on a large screen, developers have made several key changes to the user experience. The updated TV app offers:

  • Personalized Channels: Upon launching the app, users see thematic feeds — humor, sports, or content from specific bloggers — adapted to their interests. According to the engineers' plan, this should facilitate joint viewing with family or friends, allowing them to quickly find common ground.
  • Horizontal Mode: The app is testing a separate dedicated section for landscape (horizontal) videos. This lays the technical foundation for full-fledged long-form shows and series that require a wide screen format.
  • Broad Launch of Stories: The app's functionality has expanded: TV version users can now directly view others' stories (Stories). Previously, the service was limited exclusively to playing Reels.

Device Synchronization

An important aspect of the update was simplifying interaction between devices. Users have gained the ability to cast wirelessly: now any video from the "Saved" tab or the general Reels feed can be redirected from a smartphone directly to the TV screen with a single click. This makes the content consumption process more flexible and convenient, blurring the lines between mobile and stationary viewing.