Instagram weighs standalone reels app amid TikTok uncertainty in the US

Instagram is reportedly considering spinning off its short-form video feature, Reels, into a standalone application.

The move, revealed by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri in a meeting with staff this week according to tech publication The Information, could intensify competition with TikTok, whose future in the United States remains precarious.

TikTok, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, was granted a 75-day extension in January under a law signed by then-President Joe Biden, requiring a sale or ban of the platform. Former President Donald Trump had previously floated the idea of a 50-50 partnership between ByteDance and an American entity, although details on how that might function were never clarified. Critics of any ban have warned that it could undermine freedom of speech, especially given TikTok’s popularity with its 170 million US users.

Meta, Instagram’s parent company, did not respond to a request for comment on the potential Reels spin-off. The development recalls Meta’s ill-fated 2018 launch of standalone app Lasso, which was eventually shut down.

Analysts suggest that a dedicated Reels app could give Instagram stronger leverage in the fiercely competitive short-form video market, especially if TikTok’s US operations face further restrictions or an outright ban.

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Instagram weighs standalone reels app amid TikTok uncertainty in the US