Instagram tests horizontal videos up to 90 minutes

Instagram is testing Features, a new format for horizontal videos lasting up to 90 minutes, as it expands video offerings across its app and television service. The test is aimed at creators including podcasters and comedians, and is intended to let audiences move from short clips to longer videos without leaving Instagram. The company said the test is beginning with selected creators in the United States, after earlier testing in Brazil. Instagram’s rollout account said the U.S. beta would be available to tens of thousands of creators, while other reports described a smaller initial group. The ultimate number of participants and the test’s full geographic reach have not been announced. Features will be viewable on mobile and are expected to appear in Instagram’s TV app. Instagram says creators can link Reels to longer videos, so viewers can tap a short clip and continue watching the full program. The company has also described using recommendations and Explore to surface the content. These distribution plans are part of the test; audience results have not yet been reported. The move accompanies a broader expansion of Instagram video products. The company announced that...