Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared a preview of the new full-screen Instagram feed that looks a lot like TikTok's interface. Zuckerberg said the new look is currently being tested and will be available to some users in the near future.
Instagram actually started testing full-screen feeds last month, but this latest test brings a few changes. In the previous test the posts didn't really fill the entire screen.
But the new version that Zuckerberg shared on his Instagram Story shows a video post that covers all parts of the screen all the way up, much like the video on the TikTok feed, as quoted from The Verge, Saturday (18/6/2022).
The post description, as well as buttons to leave comments or like posts are also still at the bottom but are integrated into the video. At the top there is still the Instagram logo, DM and Compose buttons that are made to float following the content on the screen.
With this update, the navigation bar containing the tabs for Explore, Reels, Shopping, and Profile is still placed at the bottom of the screen. But a spokesperson for Meta said it was planning to test shortcuts for creating new posts or sending messages.
When Instagram's full-screen feed was first tested last month, many users complained that their photo content looked weird at a 9:16 ratio. For photo content that doesn't fit into the feed, Instagram adds gradients at the top and bottom to make it blend into the feed.
In response to the complaint, Mark Zuckerberg said Meta was looking for a way to optimally display photo content in this new video-first display.
"Photos are still an important part of Instagram, and we're looking for ways to improve how they appear in the full-screen Feed," Zuckerberg said in his Instagram Story.
This trial is Instagram's latest move to compete with TikTok. Previously, Zuckerberg and other Meta executives had announced that Instagram's focus would shift to Reels, which is a short video feature that rivals TikTok.
In 2020, Instagram even removed the Compose button that was previously in the middle navigation bar and replaced it with the Reels button. Apart from that, Instagram also has a Reels content monetization program for creators.