Instagram – a Facebook subsidiary – just launched a new video sharing platform that works just like YouTube other than a few differences.
The social media platform is geared towards image/video sharing so this move makes a lot of sense for Instagram.
Called IGTV, it has a few key differences from YouTube. For one, it’s vertically oriented – it’s meant to work just like any TV, you have different channels, a whole lot of shared videos, and the ability to watch or upload up to one-hour-long videos but all of it is vertical. This is because the new app is just for smartphones (or tablets), and only lets you upload videos for the small screen.
Instagram is among the few “elite” social platforms that have 1 billion or more monthly active users. Their newly launched IGTV is already gaining traction, and might soon become more popular thanks to Instagram’s wide audience.
Just Like YouTube
Unlike YouTube, IGTV has a basic user-interface that is mainly for browsing or “exploring” new videos. It might get updated, later on, the Instagram app had basic features too in the beginning but has seen significant changes over the years.
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The main video categories, with pretty much self-explanatory titles, are For You, Following, Popular, and Continue Watching. Moreover, you also have the ability to like, comment, or share the videos you see on IGTV – most features are just like YouTube, except the hour-long limit and vertical orientation.
By the way, it’s available for Android users right now. If you are interested, you can get started right away and start uploading or watching IGTV videos. To do that, you need to sign up for a free account – you can download the app from Google Play.
