Instagram Tests Picture-in-Picture for Reels
▼ Summary
– Instagram is testing a Picture-in-Picture feature for Reels, allowing users to watch videos in a floating window while using other apps.
– The feature was first identified by app researcher Radu Oncescu and is currently available to a small test group of users.
– Picture-in-Picture could help increase retention for longer videos by enabling multitasking during activities like texting or browsing.
– This feature, already available on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, may help creators retain audiences for longer content on Instagram.
– Instagram head Adam Mosseri previously hinted at this feature, though its broader rollout remains uncertain.
Instagram is currently experimenting with a new Picture-in-Picture mode for Reels, enabling users to keep videos playing in a small floating window while navigating other applications. This enhancement supports multitasking and could significantly boost engagement with longer video content on the platform.
The feature was initially discovered by app researcher Radu Oncescu before Instagram officially confirmed the test. Selected users will receive an in-app notification explaining how to activate the floating video player. This allows people to continue watching Reels even when switching to messaging apps or browsing social feeds outside of Instagram.
Multitasking capabilities like these are especially valuable as attention spans shorten and users increasingly juggle multiple tasks on their devices. A viewer who finds an interesting longer Reel, for instance, can keep it running in the background while replying to a text or scrolling through another platform.
Other major video apps, including TikTok and YouTube, have offered Picture-in-Picture functionality for some time. By introducing a comparable tool, Instagram aims to keep pace with competitors while offering creators a better opportunity to hold viewer attention. Extended watch times can lead to greater visibility and deeper audience connection.
This development follows earlier hints from Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who responded to user inquiries about bringing PiP to the app by promising to explore the possibility. The current test involves a limited number of users, and there’s no confirmed timeline for a broader release. As with many experimental features, its future availability will depend on feedback and performance during the trial phase.
(Source: TechCrunch)
