Instagram brings Reels in India to fill the gap left by TikTok

Main Image
  • Like
  • Comment
  • Share

Instagram has rolled out a new short-video tool Reels within its existing app in India. The new feature aims to be a Tiktok replacement. Though many Indian apps like Chingari, Mitron, and Roposo have gained popularity as an alternative to Tik-Tok.

Reels was first introduced in Brazil last year and later in France and Germany. Facebook-owned Instagram took the step to bring Reels in India after the central government banned 59 Chinese apps on June 30, giving a major set back to TikTok, Likee, Helo, etc. Instagram has revealed that video posts comprise one-third of total Instagram posts and about 45% videos of the total fall in 15 seconds cap.  This stat has triggered the social media giant to come up with the concept of Reels.

ALSO READ: Best TikTok Alternatives That You Can Explore Right Now

What is Reels on Instagram?

Reels is the new feature on Instagram which enables users to make and upload short videos up to 15 seconds in duration. Reels is a completely different platform but is implemented on the existing Instagram app. The feature will be available on the camera interface where users access live, boomerang, superzoom and other features for stories.

How does Reels work on Instagram?

To record the 15-sec video, Instagram fans get plenty of background music libraries and effects including speed control, zoom, blur, slo-mo, hyper-lapse, editing tools, marque effects like green screen, and more. Reels also offers Sparks AR to be used while creating content. The users can post such video to their feed and stories. The viewers will be able to find Reels on the Explore tab via a dedicated button on the top in later updates.

The Explore tab enables an easy scroll to the next and previous videos similar to that of Tik-Tok. Reels also provides the option to add hashtags for a better filter and sorting. The public account users can share their Reels by usual postings as well as through the committed Explore tab. While those having a private account can only share through feeds, stories, and direct messages which will disappear in 24 hours. 

ALSO READ: India launches ‘Elyments’, its own Facebook-like social media platform

When will Reels be available in India?

Instagram has started rolling out Reels in India at 7:30 IST on July 8. The company stated that Reels is in a testing phase in India and general users will get access gradually. All you can do is keep checking the camera interface to find if you got Reels.

Sachin Deo VermaSachin Deo Verma
Sachin covers technology news at Smartprix and he also has a keen interest in automobile and electric vehicles. He keenly gains knowledge from various sources to be updated with the latest tech trends. He is also a passionate Potterhead who dabbles in literature, and poetry, and loves to travel.

Related Articles

ImageSamsung Galaxy A55 5G Review: Flagship experience at a lower price point?

Samsung’s Galaxy A55 has arrived in India. It is Samsung’s costliest A series phone in 2024 priced starting Rs 39,999. In this week-long review, With Galaxy A55 Samsung is playing on its strengths, from the striking design to an impressive AMOLED display. But does it truly deliver on performance, battery life, and camera quality? Let’s …

ImageHow to download Instagram Reels, Stories, or IGTVs video for free

Instagram Reels has seen quite a surge since its debut. The platform was introduced as a short video tool back in July 2020 following the ban on the TikTok app in India. So, since then, it has been an avenue of short-size videos for content creators all over the world but especially for the ones …

ImageInstagram now lets you pin posts to your profile; Reels can be 90 seconds long

Popular Photo sharing App, Instagram has introduced a host of new features to make the experience even better. Instagram now allows users to pin a post or a reel to their profile. It has extended the duration of Reels to 90 seconds, introduced fresh sound effects, and ability to import audio and interactive stickers among …

ImageMeta’s Facebook, Instagram Down in India; people are freaking out

Instagram logged out without your consent? Is Facebook logged out too? Is WhatsApp not working either? Well, you my friend are experiencing one of the biggest outages especially affecting the Meta products mentioned above. We saw more sites ranging from Twitter, YouTube, and Airtel among others going down as well. It took seconds for users …

ImageInstagram Rolls Out Creator Marketplace to Eight Markets, India Joins the Roster

Instagram announced on Thursday, February 21, its plans to enhance the Creator Marketplace, aiming to streamline partnership collaborations. The platform initiated testing of this feature in the United States in 2022, creating a space for seamless connections between brands and creators. Instagram reported significant growth since then, with the introduction of various features and the …

Discuss

Be the first to leave a comment.