Instagram expands into longer, widescreen videos as it eyes YouTube competition

Instagram is rolling out a new push for long‑form horizontal video, a feature the company is referring to simply as “Features.” In a six‑minute, thirty‑second video with product vice president Tessa Lyons, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri explained that he had long resisted adding long‑form video to the platform. He said his main worry was preserving Instagram’s focus on personal connections rather than turning it into a pure entertainment outlet. Mosseri noted that watching lengthy videos could mean users see more Reels, photos and carousel posts that they might not share with friends, potentially leading to fewer likes and shares. The announcement was covered in detail by The Verge.