Google TV And Fire TV

Instagram is making a clearer move toward the living room, and Samsung TVs are now part of that push. The Instagram for TV app is available in the US for Samsung TV models from 2020 and newer. The expansion matters because it widens Instagram’s reach beyond phones and tablets into a space where people often watch together. After launching on Amazon Fire TV in December and later reaching Google TV in February, Samsung’s large installed base gives the app a much bigger stage. What users can do on TV Instagram is also testing changes aimed at making the TV version easier to browse in a shared setting. One of the main experiments groups Channels by interest, including categories such as comedy, sports, or a user’s favorite creators. The company is also adding a way to watch Stories from friends and creators on TV. That brings one of Instagram’s most familiar mobile formats to a larger screen without changing its social focus. Another test involves casting Reels from a phone to the television. Users can also cast videos from the Saved tab, although that feature is currently limited to Google TV and Fire TV. Features are arriving unevenly For Samsung TV owners in the US, the main change is access to Instagram for TV itself, not full parity with every feature already available elsewhere. Casting support has not yet been extended across all supported TV platforms. Instagram is also testing a dedicated home for horizontal video. That could give creators a better path for content that feels more natural on a television screen than on a phone display. For a service built around vertical mobile viewing, the addition is notable. It suggests Instagram is trying to make TV viewing feel less like a port of the app and more like a format with its own rules. A broader format strategy for the living room Beyond these tests, Instagram says it is exploring new formats built for the living room. The company is looking at longer creator content, which it says could help creators tell deeper stories and build stronger audience connections through TV video. It is also exploring episodic series, designed around content that unfolds across multiple installments. The idea mirrors user behavior already seen on mobile, but it could be more compelling on a TV where viewers are accustomed to longer sessions. Live on TV is another format under consideration. Instagram wants to bring creator livestreams to a bigger screen and create more opportunities for people to watch and participate together in real time. Measured rollout, bigger ambition The rollout has been gradual so far. Instagram for TV first arrived on Amazon Fire TV in the US in December, expanded to Google TV in February, and is now reaching Samsung TV models from 2020 onward in the US. Instagram says it hopes to launch these new formats soon, although it has not given a fixed timeline. The direction is clear: make Instagram more relevant on the biggest screen in the home without losing the social behavior that made it popular in the first place. Source: www.gsmarena.com

Samsung TVs Open Instagram’s Bigger Screen Push, But Key Features Remain Split