What the Instagram TV app is and why it matters
The Instagram TV app is a connected TV app that brings Reels, Stories, horizontal videos and episodic series to large screens, turning Instagram from a phone-first feed into a lean-back streaming experience for the living room. Designed for streaming on television, it lets viewers scroll through topic-based channels, watch creators’ longform video streaming experiments and share content with friends and family on the couch. Unlike the short, vertical clips that defined Instagram on mobile, this TV app focuses on remote-friendly navigation, multi-account support and videos that fill a widescreen display. By expanding to Samsung Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Google TV devices, Instagram is moving closer to the territory of YouTube, Netflix and other connected TV apps, competing for prime-time attention instead of background scrolling.
From vertical Reels to horizontal longform TV viewing
Instagram’s new TV experience is built around horizontal video optimization, a key shift for content that was born on vertical screens. The app still organizes Reels into channels based on interests like music, sports, travel, comedy and specific creators, but it also adds a dedicated home for horizontal clips that feel natural on a 55- or 65-inch TV. Stories can now be watched on television as well, and Instagram is testing phone-to-TV casting so viewers can send Reels or videos saved in their mobile app directly to the big screen on supported devices. According to Engadget, Instagram is “exploring ways for creators to be able to make and post long-form videos for more in-depth looks at specific topics and stories,” signaling a clear move beyond bite-sized clips toward shows meant to be watched end-to-end.
Episodic Series and horizontal Reels: every creator as a showrunner
The most ambitious piece of Instagram’s TV strategy is the new Series tool, which bundles Reels into ordered, sequential episodes. Creators can group both new and older clips into a single hub so viewers can watch a story unfold in the right order without digging through a cluttered profile. Instagram ties this directly to a growing micro-drama market that Meta estimates at USD 1.3 billion (approx. RM598.0 billion), turning short episodes into binge-worthy arcs that resemble mini streaming shows. Horizontal Reels and the dedicated horizontal section mean these series can be framed like traditional TV episodes rather than phone screenshots blown up on a wall. As Gadget Review notes, Instagram wants short-form creators to think in recurring characters, cliff-hangers and seasonal arcs, making every successful Reel creator a potential showrunner.
Shared viewing, live broadcasts and the new streaming battlefield
Instagram’s expansion on connected TVs is grounded in how people already use big screens: as shared, social spaces. Meta’s research shows that Instagram for TV viewing often happens with family and friends, so interest-based channels, remote-friendly controls and multi-account support are all built for group watching rather than solo doomscrolling. The platform is testing livestreams on TV and exploring longer creator content tailored for television, aiming to blend the immediacy of social media with the appointment viewing of traditional broadcasting. Instagram VP of product Tessa Lyons told The Hollywood Reporter, “TV is in so many ways the next frontier of that for us,” framing the app as a direct entrant into longform video streaming. With YouTube already ahead of Netflix on some TV metrics, Instagram’s arrival turns social video into a full-fledged streaming rival.
