Instagram is reportedly exploring the launch of a separate app for its short-form video feature, Reels. The move, disclosed by Instagram head Adam Mosseri to staff this week, was reported by The Information on Wednesday, citing a source who heard the remarks.
The Meta-owned platform aims to capitalise on the uncertainty surrounding TikTok in the United States. By offering a dedicated Reels app, Instagram hopes to attract users who may be seeking an alternative amid TikTok’s legal troubles, the report suggested.
Meta has not yet commented on these reports. However, the company has been making aggressive moves in the short-form video space. In January, it announced Edits, a new video-editing app seen as a competitor to CapCut, a tool owned by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance.
This would not be Meta’s first attempt at launching a standalone video-sharing app. In 2018, it introduced Lasso to compete with TikTok, but the app failed to gain traction and was eventually shut down. Instagram first launched Reels in 2019, offering users the ability to create 15-second music videos, a format mirroring TikTok’s early features.
TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain after a law requiring ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban took effect in January. President Donald Trump later delayed enforcement of the law, stating that many buyers were interested in the platform and that its role in engaging young voters had evolved.
