Vertical videos make more sense for mobile users but I just never get their appeal overall. On Apps such as Instagram’s IGTV, users could only upload vertical videos and this was one of its key selling point as it was seen as a more natural option for those using their smartphones.
Instagram is finally making some changes on IGTV which the company says will support horizontal videos. Instagram says the change is based on feedback from both creators and viewers. This makes perfect sense and I get where their reasoning comes from, vertical videos are perfect for mobile but do not make sense for those who want to create videos for IGTV and still be able to post the same content on other platforms. There are those who also create videos for other platforms and want an option to be able to post these videos on IGTV and this has not been perfect before and landscape videos have not been the best for IGTV.
For viewers, vertical videos offer a better viewing experience but I am not part of that, I do prefer horizontal videos as that is a more comfortable way of consuming media.
Commenting on these changes, Instagram said, “We’ve heard from creators who want to upload landscape videos for IGTV. Similarly, we’ve heard from viewers who come across landscape videos in IGTV but want to watch them in a more natural way.”
Instagram further said support for landscape videos does not mean that vertical ones will disappear. The company said creators will be free to choose the video format they want to use on the platform. The company says its ultimate vision is to make IGTV the destination for video content no matter how it is shot so creators can express themselves how they want to.
Even though IGTV now supports landscape videos, users will not be forced to hold their phones at a rotated angle. Those who want to watch videos holding their phones vertically will be free to do so and those who want to watch videos in landscape mode will be able to do so.
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