Instagram is re-entering the connected TV (CTV) space with a new dedicated app designed to bring its popular Reels content to the big screen. This initiative marks a strategic return to TV viewing for the platform, reminiscent of its earlier IGTV efforts, but now with a clear focus on communal viewing and short-form video.
The new Instagram TV app features an interface optimized for smart TVs, drawing parallels with YouTube's Connected TV user experience. Its design prioritizes easy navigation using standard TV remote controls, making Reels the central attraction. Instagram aims to leverage the appeal of communal viewing, encouraging users to enjoy short-form videos together on larger displays.
"We’ve heard from our community that watching reels together is more fun, and this test is designed to learn which features make that experience work best on TV. Reels are grouped into channels that match your interests, including new music, sports highlights, hidden travel gems, trending moments, and more."
According to Instagram, the move is driven by user feedback. The app organizes Reels into interest-based channels, covering categories like new music, sports highlights, travel, and trending topics, enhancing discoverability and engagement.
This strategic pivot positions Reels as the flagship content for Instagram's TV venture, with the platform aspiring to replicate the significant success YouTube has achieved with its Shorts content on Connected TV. YouTube has reported over a billion hours of content watched daily on home TV sets, with Shorts views on TV surging by 100% in the past year. Nielsen data further underscores YouTube's dominance, identifying it as the top streaming platform by watch time in the U.S., nearly matching the combined viewership of Netflix and Disney+.
Instagram clearly identifies an opportunity within this burgeoning market, hoping to translate Reels' immense popularity into a compelling new TV viewing experience to capture a broader audience. However, the path to success is not without challenges. YouTube's CTV app boasts a diverse content library, including podcasts (which are also seeing significant growth in CTV consumption), movies, and integrations with other streaming services, offering a much wider appeal. It remains to be seen if Instagram can effectively compete with a primary focus solely on Reels.
Nevertheless, Instagram is not alone in recognizing this trend. Both TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) have also launched their own TV applications, signaling a broader industry push into the connected TV space. While the ultimate impact of these ventures is yet to be determined, participating in this race for viewer attention across multiple platforms offers a strategic advantage.
This new offering evokes memories of the original IGTV, Instagram's ill-fated long-form video app launched back in 2018. While not a direct revival, it represents a similar strategic ambition: to adapt to evolving user viewing habits and capture attention on larger screens. Users of the Instagram TV app can link it with their existing Instagram account, manage up to five accounts within a single household, or create a dedicated account exclusively for TV viewing.
Currently, the Instagram TV app is available in the U.S. on Amazon Fire TV devices, with plans for future expansion to additional devices and countries.
