Instagram aims to monopolize your attention

This week, Instagram rolled out a fresh batch of updates for its smart TV application, all engineered to capture more of your time on the biggest screen in your home. The platform, already available on Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Samsung Smart TVs, now supports vertical Reels, along with disappearing Stories and horizontal videos that match the aspect ratios familiar to YouTube users. Soon, the Meta-owned company plans to aggressively push into longform, episodic content and introduce “live creator experiences” designed specifically for the television format.

This strategic expansion into the living room marks a notable departure from Instagram’s mobile-first identity. The move signals a clear ambition to monopolize user attention across multiple devices, blurring the lines between short-form social media and traditional TV viewing. By offering a mix of ephemeral Stories, bite-sized Reels, and longer horizontal videos, Instagram is positioning itself as a direct competitor to YouTube and other streaming platforms. The upcoming focus on serialized content and live broadcasts suggests the company is betting that users will treat their TV as just another screen for immersive, creator-driven entertainment. Whether audiences will embrace this shift remains to be seen, but Instagram is clearly banking on the idea that bigger screens will lead to longer sessions.