Instagram launches new video feature

By Grace Lee

A clip from American model Alexis Rene Glabach's IGTV channel @alexisren. The clip shows the model with over 12.5 million followers in Barcelona for the summer. Capture from Instagram

Instagram recently announced a new video streaming platform for public users. This new service, called IGTV, is intended to compete directly with YouTube.

Until now, Instagram has allowed users to upload only one-minute videos. Now they will be able to upload videos up to an hour long, albeit still shorter than YouTube's limit.

Instagram is adding a button on to its regular app that will allow users to access IGTV, but is also planning to release a standalone app.

Instagram says it is focusing more on new content and content creators, rather than people just uploading clips from other creators.

Instagram CEO Kevin System announced the IGTV plan at a special event in San Francisco on June 20, 2018.

Instagram has more than 1 billion users, although the company has not released any projections about how many people will use IGTV.

Grace Lee is an intern.