Instagram's Reels doubles video recording time to 30 seconds

Source: Instagram

Instagram's answer to TikTok is now offering a longer recording time, allowing users to record 30-second clips instead of 15-second ones. Reels is still 30 seconds off of TikTok's offerings, but this update shows that Instagram is still serious about going "big with entertainment." And that this feature will be its "new chapter of entertainment." 

Instagram Reels also extends its timer from three to 10 seconds. It will also let you trim and delete any clip to help make it easier to edit. "We continue to improve Reels based on people's feedback, and these updates make it easier to create and edit," Tessa Lyons-Laing, product director on Reels, said to The Verge. "While it's still early, we're seeing a lot of entertaining, creative content."  

Instagram patent shows it might charge a fee for links in captions

If this patent ever becomes an actual product feature, Instagram can charge its users a fee for adding links to photo captions. The patent application Instagram's parent company Facebook filed back in 2016, displays a pop-up that would appear when a user adds a URL to a caption. It asks you if you want to pay $2 to make the link live.

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Facebook test lets some users view Instagram stories on main app

Source: ec_wife/Twitter

A new test Facebook is running allows some of its users to watch their Instagram stories on the main app. You'll be able to differentiate between Facebook and Instagram stories by the colours around the profile photo. Facebook stories will have blue circles, while Instagram stories will have the pink and orange hue of the app's icon. 

Facebook emphasizes that only your Instagram followers who have linked their Facebook accounts (and who initially can see your stories) will see this new option on Facebook. But they will need to opt into this setting. Facebook is doing a "limited test," with a company spokesperson confirming the feature "respects all existing privacy settings," and that Instagram users who want to keep their stories off of Facebook altogether can do so 

Source: The Verge

New update merges Instagram, Facebook Messenger chats

We've known for a while that Facebook plans to allow cross-messaging among Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. And now, it looks like the integration between Instagram and Messenger is live, at least for some users. The Verge reports that a notification has shown up on iOS and Android devices for some of their editors, letting them know that "There's a New Way to Message on Instagram." It listed a few features, including a "new colourful look for your chats," swipe-to-reply, emoji reactions, and "chat with friends who use Facebook."

If you activate the feature, the regular DM icon changes to the Facebook Messenger logo. Chats appear more colourful, with the sender's messages shifting between blue and purple as you scroll. At the moment, it doesn't seem possible to message Facebook users from Instagram. But with the feature now available, we expect that to arrive soon.