Meta Launches Pilot Reels App for Fire TV

Meta has launched a pilot version of a dedicated Instagram TV app, allowing users to watch short-form Reels videos on larger screens for the first time. The app, focused exclusively on Reels, began testing this week on select Amazon Fire TV devices in the United States, with plans for broader expansion to additional devices and regions based on early feedback.

The new app transforms the mobile-centric Reels experience for television viewing. Users log in with their existing Instagram accounts and can add up to five profiles per household, ensuring personalized recommendations for multiple family members or roommates. Upon opening the app, the home screen displays horizontal rows of video thumbnails organized into channels based on interests such as music, sports, travel, cooking, comedy, and trending topics. These channels draw from content by followed creators, popular videos, and algorithmically suggested material, mirroring the mobile feed while adapting navigation for remote control use.

Once a Reel is selected, it plays in its original vertical portrait format, centered on the screen with black bars on the sides. Captions appear alongside engagement metrics like likes,...