Photo Credit: Unsplash/Solen Feyissa 1x452c
Instagram Reels was introduced in 2020 as a new way of posting short-form videos on the platform
strategy of prioritising short-form content over long videos, citing it as part of the company's “core identity” of connecting people with friends.
First Instagram Reels by tapping and holding either the left or the right side of the screen. Meanwhile, the same action on the middle of the screen pauses the video, same as before. A 2x speed label appears at the bottom of the Instagram Reel if it has been sped up.
"2X speed" label on Instagram Reels
It is speculated to be introduced as a convenience feature following the social media platform's decision of extending the duration of Reels to up to three minutes. With the new 2x playback speed option, it is expected to make it easier for s to reach the end of longer videos. Gadgets 360 can confirm that the feature is now available for Instagram Reels on both Android and iOS.
A similar feature is already available on TikTok, the ByteDance-owned video-hosting service which recently made the headlines over its proposed ban, although the decision was reversed albeit for a limited period of time in the US. With its introduction for Instagram Reels, the social media platform is speculated to strengthen its position by offering more features dedicated to short-form video content.
As part of a larger move, Instagram has also been reported to be deliberating over plans of launching a dedicated app for short-form video content. Instagram head Adam Mosseri reportedly informed the company's staff about a project involving a potential app for Reels codenamed Project Ray. Alongside Reels, it may show up to three-minute videos as well. The report suggests that this new standalone app could offer a similar vertically-scrolling experience as TikTok.
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