Well, Instagram may have a new surprise for users. But those who go by the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” saying may be upset to learn that the app is testing a new feature, full-screen vertical home feeds.
According to TechCrunch, the feature will make Instagram more similar to TikTok.
When Instagram users open the app, they immediately see vertical content that is meant to “bring video more front and center.”
Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed the tests on Twitter, saying taller photos and videos would begin appearing in some feeds.
An image shared by Instagram shows a home feed that takes up a full-screen post with comments, captions, likes, and other features that are placed on top of the post instead of below.
Though the Stories bar wasn’t seen at the top of the screen in the image, Seine Kim, who is a Meta spokesperson, said that the view shows the home feed once users began scrolling and that Stories will stay at the top of their screen.
Search, Reels, shopping, and a user’s own profile will still be accessible by the buttons at the bottom of the screen. Notifications, messages, and new post features will also remain at the top, The Verge reported.
Kim added that still images and video posts will be incorporated into the full-screen feed as well.
Instagram’s choice to test feeds focused on immersive video may not be a surprise to some. The company has heavily pushed short-form videos to creators and users by offering cash incentives to creators who make top Reels.
And it kind of goes without saying that Instagram would like it if users stopped reposting TikToks to its platform.
