Instagram may launch Reels as separate app

Instagram is reportedly considering the launch of a separate app for its short-form video feature, Reels.

The announcement was made by its chief Adam Mosseri to staff this week, the Information reported on Wednesday, citing a person who heard the remarks.

The Meta-owned company is looking to take advantage of TikTok's uncertain status in the United States, aiming to provide a similar video-scrolling experience, the report added.

Meta did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

In January, Meta also announced a new video-editing app, Edits, a move seemingly aimed at acquiring a share of the user base of CapCut, a similar video-editing app owned by TikTok's parent company, ByteDance.

Meta previously tried out a standalone video-sharing app called Lasso in 2018, with the goal of competing with TikTok, but the app did not gain much traction and the company later shut it down.

Instagram first launched Reels in 2019, allowing users to create music videos for up to 15-seconds – the same length of time allowed on TikTok.

At the time, industry experts said Instagram should be able to capitalise on its already sizeable userbase and monetise the format in a way that TikTok is unable to.

TikTok’s fate in the U.S. has been up in the air since a law requiring its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell it on national security grounds or face a ban took effect on January 19.

U.S. President Donald Trump, after taking office on January 20, signed an executive order seeking to delay by 75 days enforcement of the law.

He said there were a lot of people interested in acquiring the social media company, and said its image had changed since the 2024 election. He said he found the app to be fair and useful in appealing to young voters.

Trump said he believed Chinese President Xi Jinping would agree to approve the sale of TikTok to a U.S. buyer as it would also be in China's interest.

"I'm going to make it worthwhile for China to do," he said, without giving any details. "I think it would be to China's advantage to have the deal be made."