Instagram tests TV first features as platform expands to living rooms

MUMBAI: From pocket-sized scrolls to sofa-sized screens, Instagram is eyeing a bigger seat in the living room. Meta is expanding Instagram’s television ambitions, testing a slate of new features including episodic series, live TV experiences and longer-form creator content as it pushes the platform beyond its mobile-first roots.

The company announced that Instagram for TV is now available on Samsung Smart TVs across the United States, extending compatibility to 2020 model-year televisions and newer. With the rollout, Instagram is now accessible across most connected TV devices in the US, alongside Amazon Fire TV and Google TV.

The move reflects changing viewing habits, with Meta increasingly seeing Instagram as a shared entertainment experience rather than a platform consumed solely on individual smartphones. The company said many users already watch content together with friends and family, prompting efforts to make discovery and viewing more seamless on larger screens.

To support that shift, Instagram is testing curated content channels organised around interests such as comedy, sport and favourite creators, making it easier for groups to find something everyone can watch together.

Meta is also enabling users on Google TV and Fire TV to cast Reels directly from their phones, including videos stored in their Saved collections. The feature aims to bridge the gap between mobile discovery and television viewing without disrupting the user experience.

Another addition brings Stories to television screens, allowing users to catch up with updates from friends and creators without huddling around a mobile device. Meanwhile, Instagram is experimenting with a dedicated hub for horizontal video, a notable departure from the vertical format that has defined the platform for years.

The biggest change, however, may still be ahead. Meta confirmed it is exploring television-focused formats including longer-form creator content, episodic series and live TV experiences, signalling ambitions to compete more directly for viewers’ time in the living room.

The company said creators are playing a central role in shaping these experiments as it looks to understand how television viewing can complement Instagram’s core mobile experience.

While Instagram for TV remains in its early stages, the direction is becoming increasingly clear. As connected television blurs the boundaries between social media, streaming and entertainment, Meta is betting that the next chapter of Instagram may be watched not just in the palm of a hand, but across the biggest screen in the house.