Pleasing literally no one ever, Meta is officially bringing Instagram to Google TV. This follows the app’s initial launch on Fire TV devices last year, bringing not just Reels, but also your Instagram feed to the big screen.
The development was highlighted by head of Instagram Adam Mosseri in a Threads post (via TechCrunch). The move marks one of Meta’s most ambitious attempts at snatching the living room crown from YouTube, which, at least when it comes to short-form video content consumption on the big screen, is an uphill battle.
If you’re not scrolling on your mobile, Instagram wants you to keep scrolling on the big screen, and considering that its main rivals, TikTok and YouTube, both offer TV apps, it likely didn’t want to be left behind.
US only for now
For reference, Instagram’s Google TV expansion is limited to the US, at least for now. I am in Canada and can confirm that the app isn’t available on my Hisense Google TV yet.
Your feed and short-form video content will both remain personalized on the big screen, with the latter being organized around themed channels. Said channels are based on your interests and the creators that you love, and are organized based on different content categories.
Elsewhere, the experience isn’t just passive. You can like, comment, and share content directly from the TV interface, similar to how said actions are performed on the mobile app.
Although limited for now, Meta likely plans to expand the app to more platforms and countries once it gathers enough feedback from Google TV users.
Are you going to download the Instagram app on your Google TV? Or are you limiting Reels to just your smartphone? Let us know in the comments below!
