Instagram Reels Launched as It Looks to Compete Against TIkTok

Instagram Reels is initially only available for users in Brazil, with no word on when it is going to roll out in other countries.

By Aman Rashid | Updated: 13 November 2019 12:44 IST

Instagram Reels Launched as It Looks to Compete Against TIkTok

Photo Credit: TechCrunch

Reels is initially available on iOS and Android for users in Brazil

Highlights

Instagram launches Reels to compete against TikTok
Users can now create 15-second short video clips
Initially available for users in Brazil only

Instagram is launching Reels, which appears to be the company's own take to compete against TikTok. Reels will be available on both Android and iOS, but for a start, it will only be limited for users in Brazil, where it is called Cenas. So just like Tik Tok, Instagram's Reels lets a user create 15-second video clips which they can lip-sync with music and then share the same in their Instagram stories. Speaking of which, users will be able to access Reels from within the Instagram app just like other features such as Boomerang, Superzoom, and Live.

According to the report by TechCrunch, instead of starting from scratch like Facebook did with its standalone app Lasso, Instagram wants to bring Reels directly to its billion users around the world by providing the new feature right from within the app. And this is why unlike TikTok, Reels will let the users create these short 15-second lip-synced video clips and share them in their Instagram stories, which the users can then decide if they just want to share it with their close friends or they simply want to keep it public so that it can reach a wider audience.

So, as we mentioned above, how this works is that users will be able to find Reels right alongside the Boomerang and Superzoom features. After that, one can either record in silence, borrow the audio of another video, or simply lip sync to a popular trending song. In addition to this, Instagram is also adding some editing tools, like timed captions so that words appear in certain scenes, and a ghost overlay option for lining up transitions so they look fluid. So, once a short clip is created, a user can then share it as their story or simply send it to a friend. And, if shared publicly, it also will be eligible to appear in the Top Reels section of the Explore tab.

As we mentioned above, Instagram Reels is currently available on both Android and iOS for users in Brazil. And as of now there is no confirmation on when this new feature will be available for the other countries.

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