Instagram, the popular photo and video-sharing platform owned by Meta, is contemplating the launch of a standalone application dedicated to its short-form video feature, Reels. The development was revealed by Instagram chief, Adam Mosseri during a staff address this week, according to a report by The Information on Wednesday, which cited an individual privy to the information.
The proposed app would aim to deliver a seamless, TikTok-like video-scrolling experience. This will position Instagram to capture a larger share of the short-form video market amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future in the United States.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has been under scrutiny due to national security concerns, with a ban slammed on January 19, 2025, following a Supreme Court ruling. Although President Donald Trump issued an executive order within 24 hours to suspend the ban for 75 days, allowing TikTok to resume operations temporarily, the platform’s long-term viability remains in doubt as negotiations between ByteDance and U.S. authorities continue. This instability presents an opportunity for competitors like Meta to attract TikTok’s vast user base, estimated at over 150 million monthly active users in the U.S. alone.
Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the press regarding the potential Reels app. However, the move aligns with Meta’s ongoing efforts to challenge TikTok’s dominance.
Meta’s historical rivalry with ByteDance
In January 2025, Meta unveiled “Edits,” a new video-editing app aimed at creators, positioning it as a direct competitor to ByteDance’s CapCut, a widely used editing tool that was removed from U.S. app stores amid regulatory pressure.
Edits, set for release on March 13, 2025, offers features like high-quality camera tools, editing capabilities, and Instagram-specific analytics, reflecting Meta’s intent to cater to creators transitioning from TikTok and CapCut.
The consideration of a standalone Reels app marks Meta’s latest attempt to challenge TikTok’s dominance in the short-form video space. Reels, originally launched within the Instagram app in August 2020, was itself a response to TikTok’s meteoric rise. Since its debut, Reels has grown significantly, with Meta reporting in its latest earnings call that users spend an increasing amount of time engaging with the feature.
However, bundling Reels within Instagram’s broader ecosystem, alongside photos, stories, and long-form IGTV videos, may limit its ability to fully rival TikTok’s singular focus on short, addictive video content.
Meta’s previous attempt at a standalone video app
This is not Meta’s first attempt to break into the standalone video app market. In 2018, the company launched Lasso, a short-video platform designed to rival TikTok. Despite initial enthusiasm, Lasso struggled to gain traction and was discontinued in 2020, underscoring the challenges Meta faces in replicating TikTok’s success outside the Instagram ecosystem.
However, analysts suggest that a standalone Reels app could fare differently, leveraging Instagram’s existing user base, over 2 billion monthly active users, and the growing popularity of Reels, which has become a key feature since its introduction in 2020.
The timing of the potential Reels app launch coincides with a pivotal moment for TikTok. The 75-day suspension of the U.S. ban expires in early April 2025, and ByteDance must either divest its U.S. operations or implement security measures satisfactory to the government to avoid another shutdown. TikTok’s recent restructuring, including layoffs in its global trust and safety team, has added to speculation about its stability, potentially driving users to seek alternatives.
Meta’s broader video ambitions are evident in its recent moves. Beyond Edits, the company has integrated Reels deeply into Instagram, shifting its layout to emphasise vertical content, a clear nod to TikTok’s influence. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has acknowledged TikTok as a formidable competitor, and Meta’s leadership has signalled preparedness for an influx of users should TikTok falter.
While details about the prospective Reels app remain scarce, the initiative reflects Meta’s aggressive push into short-form video, a market projected to grow as consumer demand for quick, engaging content rises.
Whether this gamble pays off will depend on Meta’s ability to differentiate the app from Instagram’s existing offerings and capitalise on TikTok’s precarious position. For now, the tech world watches as Meta positions itself to potentially reshape the social media landscape.
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