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Instagram Gets Into Long-Form Video With IGTV

The standalone IGTV app rolls out to iOS and Android in the coming weeks. Instagram will also integrate it into its main app via an update slated to arrive today.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Watch out, YouTube. Instagram today launched a new app for watching long-form vertical video on your phone, IGTV.

"It's time for video to move forward and evolve," Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom (pictured above) said at the IGTV launch an event in San Francisco this afternoon. "In a world of overwhelming choice, you want the best videos not all videos."

IGTV

The standalone IGTV app will be rolling out to iOS and Android globally over the coming weeks. In the meantime, Instagram will integrate IGTV into its main app via an update slated to arrive today. Once you update your Instagram app, look for the IGTV logo on the top-right side of your feed, next to the DM button.

IGTV app

As soon as you open IGTV, video will start playing in full-screen portrait mode—no need to click anything. If you're not into that video, swipe to check out other creators' channels.

"You don't have to search to start watching content from people you already follow on Instagram and others you might like based on your interests," Systrom wrote in a blog post today. "When you follow a creator on Instagram, their IGTV channel will show up for you to watch. Anyone can be a creator — you can upload your own IGTV videos in the app or on the web to start your own channel."

As you watch, you can like videos, leave a comment, and follow others. As was rumored, videos on IGTV can be up to an hour long. Instagram already supports hour-long live streams, but videos you post to your profile can only be up to one minute long and story clips are capped at just 15 seconds.

During its event this afternoon, Instagram brought on stage content creator Lele Pons, who currently has more than 25.1 million followers on the platform, to talk about a new cooking show she's planning for IGTV.

"Instagram is like a home away from home for me," Pons said. In her new IGTV show, Pons will challenge some of her friends to find out who's the better cook.

A number of other prominent Instagram creators plan to launch IGTV content today, including: Selena Gomez (@selenagomez), Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian), and Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real). Also on tap: Bryce Xavier, Manny Gutierrez, Dominic Chambrone, Tyler Blevins, Susie Shu, Madelain Petsch, Ross Butler, and Virgil Abloh.

The launch of IGTV comes five years to the day since Instagram first introduced video on the platform.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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