Instagram Considers Launching Standalone Reels App to Compete with TikTok

Adam Mosseri, the head of the widely used image-centric social platform Instagram, has hinted at the possibility of introducing a separate application dedicated to Instagram Reels, its popular short-form video segment. This announcement was made to his team, indicating a strategic move by the Meta-owned entity. By potentially launching an exclusive app for Reels, Instagram could be positioning itself to directly compete with TikTok, especially amidst the latter's uncertain situation in the United States.

Instagram's Reels are known for their significant role in boosting sales across social media platforms, making them a vital feature for the company. The development of a dedicated Reels app seems to be Meta's strategy to capitalize on TikTok's current challenges in the U.S. market. Experts believe that Instagram aims to offer a video-scrolling experience similar to TikTok, which could attract users seeking comparable functionalities.

In response to inquiries, Meta chose not to comment on the matter, as per Reuters. This silence follows a pattern of Meta's ventures into video-centric applications aimed at encroaching upon the user bases of its competitors. Earlier, in January, Meta announced the creation of Edits, a new video-editing application. This move appeared to target CapCut users, a video-editing software developed by ByteDance, TikTok's parent company.

Meta's history of experimenting with video-sharing platforms is notable. In 2018, the company launched Lasso, a standalone video-sharing app designed to rival TikTok. Despite its ambition, Lasso failed to capture a significant audience and was eventually discontinued. This past effort reflects Meta's ongoing interest in dominating the short-video market, with the potential Reels app being its latest attempt to challenge TikTok's dominance.