Instagram has yet launched another modification to its App where it has put a dedicated Reels tab in the main screen of the app.
The new Reels tab has now taken the place of the ‘Search’ icon where you could search for specific accounts and Explore Instagram. Don’t worry, the Search and Explore functionality is still present, but the icon for it has moved to the top, next to the ‘DM’ icon.
This new design has first appeared in India. The reason behind India getting it before any other country is because of the interest which the Indian audience had shown to the Reels feature. Previously, Reels used to appear under the Explore section.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, tweeted yesterday, “Today we’re launching a separate tab for Reels in India given the momentum we’re seeing in the country.”
Instagram was testing this new design till last month and got released just yesterday evening. Clicking on the new Reels button, you will see various Reels from around the country and you can swipe up or down to switch between different Reels.
“Earlier this month we started testing a new tab on Instagram to make it easier to discover entertaining Reels. Today, we’re expanding this test in India to most of the country. India is the first market we’re launching in due to the interest and creativity we’ve seen. We’re hoping this tab makes it easier for people to see and enjoy Reels.” said Manish Chopra, director and head of Partnerships at Facebook India, in a statement.
Reel was introduced right after TikTok got banned in India back in June to take advantage of the opportunity to expand its user base. It lets you record 15-second short videos in which you can also insert various filters and audio effects.