Instagram is testing videos up to 90 minutes long and bringing the platform to Apple TV as part of its expansion into connected TVs, Axios reported.
Instagram Expands Horizontal Video Limits and Builds Apple TV Integration
The new product expansion, designated as Features, marks a strategic shift for a platform historically built around vertical, short-form media. The system natively supports horizontal video architecture, accommodating podcasts and episodic programming. Creators gain specific structural tools within this update. Clips as Reels allows users to link up to eight short video segments together, while Series assigns a dedicated home for episodic Reels directly on creator profiles. Concurrently, product engineers are developing a secondary capability that transforms a standard mobile smartphone into a functional television remote.
This long-form pivot follows a prior industry precedent. In 2024, TikTok began testing video uploads lasting up to an hour, a feature that remains active on its platform. However, unlike Instagram’s current multi-screen hardware trajectory, TikTok currently maintains no dedicated television application.
Traditional Streamers Chase Video Podcasts and Creator Talent
Video podcasts have evolved into a baseline requirement within the digital creator economy, driving traditional streaming services to aggressively pursue established shows and their production talent. Netflix recruited former Apple executive Steve Wilson to oversee its podcast division. That hire followed strategic distribution agreements with Spotify, iHeartMedia, and Barstool Sports, which integrated major programs such as The Breakfast Club directly into the Netflix interface.
📺 Instagram ya tiene app para Apple TV, gratis y con Reels.• Contenido: Reels, vídeos largos de creadores y directos, adaptados al formato horizontal• Requisitos: tvOS 26 o posterior, así que vale desde el Apple TV HD y cualquier Apple TV 4K• Precio: gratis, con compras… pic.twitter.com/hfmkaGGAjj
Platform convergence extends across the major entertainment conglomerates. Disney is integrating video versions of iHeartPodcasts—including Hey Jonas! and Las Culturistas—into both Disney+ and Hulu. Tubi established a partnership with SiriusXM to distribute video podcasts like Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. Amazon incorporated podcast content into Prime Video through direct agreements with creators, notably securing Jason and Travis Kelce’s New Heights.
Video podcasts expand the total market rather than cannibalizing existing audio consumption, according to iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman. Speaking at Media Trends Live, Pittman noted that video content commands higher advertising rates while drawing entirely new audiences to audio-first players.
Streaming companies are moving past simple licensing agreements to co-develop original programming directly with prominent internet creators. Disney partnered with Dude Perfect to build content tied to major corporate milestones, including the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, Avengers: Doomsday, and the Super Bowl. Simultaneously, Netflix is collaborating with YouTube creator Mark Rober to produce an original science competition series titled SCHOOLED!
Engagement Metrics Shift the Industry Focus From Reach to YouTube
Television and streaming metrics have undergone a fundamental shift. For decades, traditional Hollywood measured success strictly through raw reach. As smart TVs and mobile devices made broad reach ubiquitous, the industry metric shifted to sustained user engagement—an arena dominated by YouTube.
In August, YouTube captured a record 15.8% of all U.S. television viewing, climbing from 14.2% in July, according to Nielsen data cited by Axios. That performance surpassed Disney’s combined 9.3% share across its collective streaming and traditional television properties, as well as Netflix’s 7.7% share.
Instagram’s hardware and software expansion mirrors how creators already utilize the application. Brooklyn Coffee Shop creator Pooja Tripathi noted the platform’s versatility last month during an event celebrating the show’s 100th episode, describing it as the one ecosystem where users can execute multiple content formats. Tripathi advocated for the integration of traditional television features, such as formal cast and production credits, to clearly separate serialized shows from casual daily posts.
YouTube’s core structural advantage stems from an open distribution model where creators publish content for free, share in ad revenue, and negotiate independent sponsorships. By contrast, traditional media streamers function as closed ecosystems, carefully curating programming while executing individual licensing and production agreements. That rigorous curation provides parents with greater confidence regarding programming safety and offers corporate advertisers a brand-safe environment. Meanwhile, YouTube continues pitching its creator roster as premium entertainment in a bid to capture a larger percentage of traditional television advertising budgets.
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