IGTV: Instagram attacks YouTube with a new video app
With the new IGTV app, Facebook wants to integrate a video service into one of its most popular platforms, Instagram. This should outsource the classic story videos to another app and thus also be able to display longer videos.
With YouTube, Google is currently dominating the video industry - quite clearly. with IGTV launches Facebook now a renewed attempt to compete with the classic YouTube daily vlogs. The creators are to post their videos in the IGTV app in the future - other users will then see these videos in portrait format and full screen in the app. Similar to Snapchat, you can also find videos from other channels or other popular videos. Exactly such content can be found in the "Discover" area. The app also provides suggestions for videos.
Vertical and not too long
For Instagram TV, however, there are specific requirements for uploading a video. First, the video must have been recorded vertically. The second requirement is the length: the video must be at least 15 seconds and a maximum of 10 minutes long. But not only sites can upload videos: anyone can by clicking on their own Profilbild create your own channel in the app. Here you can then post videos on your personal page. Of course you can also like, comment or share content. You can also add text to your own videos, just like stories.
The new IGTV is aimed at creative creators who like to shoot short clips or shoot videos for their activities. The advantage over YouTube, however, is that videos can be uploaded very conveniently using a smartphone. Disadvantage: only vertical videos. If you now rotate a clip with your camera, you cannot upload it without changing the scaling - a shame. However, your own videos are not shown directly to others in your own story. The Instagram apps for Android and iOS are to have their own IGTV button in the future, with notifications being displayed.
Availability and apps
IGTV will be available worldwide in the coming weeks, according to the head of Instagram. The new service will be accessible via the app for Instagram or the IGTV app. There will currently not be a website or an application for the PC. IGTV can be used free of charge, and you will not see any advertising for the time being. In addition, Instagram now has more than a billion monthly active users, Facebook informed the press at the end of the IGTV presentation.
You can already download the app from our stores. Here for Android and under this link for iOS.