Instagram has rolled out several updates aimed at attracting TikTok users amidst the app’s uncertain future. The latest move is the launch of a new video creation app called Edits, which bears an uncanny resemblance to CapCut, owned by ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. The Edits app allows users to create professional-looking videos with various editing tools and effects.
As part of these updates, Instagram has also changed its profile photo grids to display images as rectangles, similar to those on TikTok. Furthermore, the maximum length for Reels videos will be increased from 90 seconds to three minutes, following the lead of TikTok which encourages users to post longer videos.
Instagram’s head of Adam Mosseri announced these changes in a series of posts over the weekend, stating that the platform aims to provide creative tools for video creators across various platforms. However, the updates may not have attracted new users as planned, given the recent shutdown of TikTok and subsequent pledge by President Trump to restore access.
The move comes at a time when other alternatives like RedNote, another China-owned app, gained popularity among TikTok users in the week leading up to the shutdown. Despite Instagram’s efforts, the platform has struggled to compete with TikTok, forcing it to rework its algorithm to attract users’ attention.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/19/tech/instagram-tiktok-features-shutdown/index.html