The battle for video supremacy is heating up as Instagram officially enters the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) arena, a feature long dominated by rivals YouTube and TikTok. The platform has begun testing its own version of the floating video player for Reels, a move that is critical for staying competitive.
While YouTube has offered PiP for years (often as a premium feature) and TikTok has integrated it seamlessly, Instagram’s absence in this space was becoming increasingly noticeable. The new test aims to deliver a comparable experience, allowing users to multitask without pausing their video content. The core functionality—a shrinkable, movable window—will be familiar to users of all three platforms.
The key differentiator for Instagram will be its implementation and impact on the creator ecosystem. By potentially boosting watch time for Reels, Instagram hopes to give its creators an edge and encourage the production of longer, more engaging content that can hold a viewer’s attention even in a multitasking scenario.
This competitive move is paired with the launch of a native iPad app, another area where Instagram has lagged. The new app provides an optimized tablet experience, ensuring the platform can compete for user screen time not just on phones, but on larger devices as well.