Instagram is rolling out two significant updates poised to redefine its user experience: a Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode for Reels and a dedicated app for the iPad. These enhancements target modern user habits, aiming to make content consumption and social interaction more fluid and interconnected than ever before. The platform is focusing on integrating seamlessly into the daily digital lives of its billion-plus users.
The Picture-in-Picture feature, currently in a limited test phase, tackles a common user pain point: the interruption of video content to reply to a message. With this new functionality, when a user navigates away from a Reel to another app or chat, the video will automatically transition into a compact, floating window. This allows for uninterrupted viewing while handling other tasks, effectively ending the need to pause your entertainment for a quick reply.
For the creator community, this development is particularly noteworthy. By preventing viewers from having to completely drop out of a video to engage in a conversation, Instagram is paving the way for significantly higher video completion rates. This means content can hold a viewer’s attention even when they are multitasking, transforming a competing activity into a parallel one. As is standard, users will retain control and can disable the feature if they prefer.
Complementing this multitasking-focused update is the launch of a native iPad application. After years of users having to rely on a stretched-out version of the iPhone app, this new software provides an experience optimized for the tablet’s larger screen. This makes browsing, viewing, and engaging with content a more immersive and user-friendly experience, catering to the growing number of users who prefer a larger, shareable interface.