Meta has launched the Instagram for TV app, allowing users to consume Reels on the big screen.
This is the tech giant’s first major push into television offerings. The pilot program is in partnership with Amazon Fire TV. Meta said that the app is intended to bring more in-person connection as people scroll Reels. Instagram for TV allows viewers to co-view Reels with friends and family.
“We were hearing in research that people were already mirroring their phone onto their TVs in order to watch Reels with their friends,” Tessa Lyons, Instagram’s VP of product, told The Hollywood Reporter. “All signs have pointed to this being a thing that people wanted, and so what we’re trying to do with this move on Tuesday is to make it easier for people to enjoy Reels and creators they love in their living room on their big screen, with the people they care about.”
The app will support up to five accounts that way family members or roommates can switch into their preferred algorithm, tailored to their interests. Interactivity on the TV app is largely the same as what users experience on their phones, letting viewers like videos and browse comments.
Users can scroll their For You pages or catch up on category-specific interests, viewing sports or fashion channels, specifically.
“Our mission is to get you to the world’s best content fast, and we’re thrilled to welcome Instagram to Fire TV,” Aidan Marcuss, vice president of Fire TV, said. “We’re committed to keep pushing the boundaries of entertainment on customers’ biggest screens—the Instagram team has built an awesome experience, and we’re excited to be the first place to offer it. We can’t wait to see what customers think.”
The Instagram for TV app is available now in the U.S. on select Amazon Fire TV devices, including Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st and 2nd Gen), Fire TV 2-Series, Fire TV 4-Series, and Fire TV Omni QLED Series.
This partnership is part of tech companies’ growing interest in the traditional entertainment space. Netflix has leaned into the video podcasting landscape with its partnerships with Spotify and iHeartMedia. YouTube has offered a TV app since 2017 and has evolved to create its own streaming service (YouTube TV) and offer a range of long-form and short-form content.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in Meta’s earnings call in October that Reels now has a $50 billion annual run rate, which is more ad revenue than Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount and NBCUniversal combined. Expanding the app’s reach beyond user’s mobile devices allows for a grander entertainment and advertisement viewing experience.
