TikTok competitor Instagram Reels to debut in US in early August as part of app’s Stories feature
- Reels, which has already debuted in India and other select countries, will live inside of Instagram Stories as an option for sharing short-form video content
- Instagram's planned US debut of Reels comes as TikTok's future in the country remains uncertain
Instagram users will be able to create and share Reels to their Stories, and access their short-form videos in a new, dedicated tab on their profiles. Public accounts will have their videos shared on the app's Explore page, and can choose whether their Reels content appear on their profiles and in followers' Feeds.
As for similarities drawn between TikTok and Reels, an Instagram spokesperson said in a statement that “no two services are the same.”
“TikTok specifically has harnessed real consumer behaviour, and done amazing things. We've also seen the rise of short-form video on Instagram, and think we can create something in a way that makes sense for our community,” the spokesperson told Business Insider. “This responsiveness to consumer demand is competition at work and one of the long-time hallmarks of the tech sector. It increases choice, which is good for people.”