Instagram is to introduce a new feature to its Stories called Reels which is similar to the Chinese TikTok. Reels is initially launching in Brazil only.
An American photo and video-sharing social networking platform Instagram is going to compete with Chinese TikTok. Instagram has decided to launch Reels — a new video and music feature for Instagram Stories. This service allows users to enjoy working with different tools for editing videos, create 15-second clips using an extensive music catalog, and share them on Instagram Stories. It is notable that Reels is similar to the TikTok app in its functioning.
According to the TechCrunch report, Reels is initially launching in Brazil only, where it is called Cenas. This option is available on both Android and iOS and can be easily found within other Instagram Stories features like Boomerang, SuperZoom, and Live. After choosing the feature, users can record in silence, then source music through other videos they find on Instagram or find other songs in a music catalog provided. With some editing tools, like timed captions or a ghost overlay option for lining up transitions, users can make their clips more exciting. After that, users choose whether to share their video with a wide audience or just with close friends.
Reels is similar to the TikTok app that boasts 1.5 billion monthly users, including 122 million in the U.S., however, Instagram is going to set itself apart and differentiate from other apps in this space.
Robby Stein, director of product management at Instagram, said:
“Instagram Stories has always been a home for expression and we believe this new format has huge potential to enable more creativity for people.”
“TikTok deserves a ton of credit for popularizing this format. No two products are exactly the same, and at the end of the day sharing video with music is a pretty universal idea we think everyone might be interested in using. The focus has been on how to make this a unique format for us. Your friends are already all on Instagram. I think that’s only true of Instagram,” added he.
But why Brazil? In October 2018, there were 66 510 000 Instagram users in Brazil, which accounted for 31.1% of its entire population. This year, this number has increased up to 70 million users. This country known for its music culture and creativity is an up-and-coming market for Instagram.
Earlier, Instagram added a new ‘Create’ mode that replaced the ‘Type’ option. This feature makes Instagram a more ‘ubiquitous’ social network and allows users to combine interactive stickers, drawings and text and keep sharing things on the platform without needing a photo or video to post.
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