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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Instagram has a new app that lets you watch Reels on your TV.
- The app is debuting first on Fire TV devices.
- Support for other devices will come over time.
Instagram has a new app that lets you watch Reels on your TV. Your favorite short-form videos are moving to the big screen. Well, the biggest screen in your home, at least.
Amazon announced that, starting today, users can watch Reels on Fire TV devices with a dedicated app. This is the first time Instagram content has been designed for television.
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Like the mobile app, the TV app curates Reels into personalized channels based on your interests, like music, sports, travel, and trending moments. You can search for content or scroll a stream, and you can see comments and reactions on screen while you scroll and even re-share Reels.
How to get started
The app supports up to five accounts, Amazon explained, so everyone in a household can sign in and enjoy their own personalized experience. You can also create a new account just for your TV if you want a whole family experience.
Get started by downloading the Instagram for TV app from the Amazon Appstore. If the name sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because Instagram had an unrelated “IGTV” app for watching long-form content that debuted in 2018 and shut down in 2021.
It makes sense why Meta has its eyes on your TV. Currently, YouTube dominates the short-form video market on TV with Shorts, but TikTok also has a presence.
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Speaking to CNBC, Tessa Lyons, Instagram vice president of product, said the company is working on “a great experience” before going to other devices, adding that “we probably have a lot more work to do to really make sure that we’re bringing people the content they love on mobile in a way that really makes sense for them and feels designed for TV.”
For now, Amazon says, Instagram for TV is available on 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. Instagram will eventually expand the app to other devices.
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