As often happens on the social media market, the platforms take inspiration from each other to update functions and launch new features. And this is the case of Facebook which will show all the main video formats vertically when played by users, just like what happens on TikTok. Short clips, so-called Reels, live broadcasts and long videos will start in full screen by default.
The new video player will debut on iOS and Android in the United States and Canada in the coming weeks, before a global launch in the months to follow. This is a change that goes after the competition but also aims to reduce confusion on Facebook. In fact, until now, long videos were displayed horizontally, while others started directly from the stream of shared posts, without a standard format.
The update therefore aims to make the viewing experience more linear. However, Meta's choice is not unique: just rotate the phone to switch from one mode to another, without having to press particular keys or shortcuts. The default mode will be vertical but with the opportunity to switch to horizontal whenever you want, to watch the videos just as they were recorded. On the official blog, Meta explained: "Subscribers will also soon see more relevant recommendations, regardless of clip length, both in the feed and in the video tab. And as Facebook continues to be the home of all types of videos, we will show even more reel to meet the growing demand for this format. The updates will allow creators to reach a larger audience than before."
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