Meta has announced that it's updating its video player on Facebook, bringing together Reels, longer videos, and Live content all in one fullscreen. Meta says that the new player will have improved recommendations for videos of all lengths based on users' interests, with new controls that allow users to watch videos however they would like.
The new player will also have more relevant video recommendations, regardless of length, on the Feed and the Video Tab and will show even more Reels to meet the growing demand for this format. It is designed to make it easier for users to explore and engage with video content on Facebook and for creators to reach new audiences.
Meta will show all videos vertically first but will add a new fullscreen option on videos that are horizontal that will allow users to watch them in a landscape view. There's also a slider at the bottom that users can use to look forward or backward to a particular part of the video. Tapping on a video will bring up traditional video controls like the pause button and the 10-second fast-forward and rewind buttons as well.
Meta says that although all types of videos are available on Facebook, it will push more Reels to "meet the growing demand for this format." Reels have gained significant popularity on both Instagram and Facebook, especially among younger audiences. Short-form video formats, like Reels, are easy to consume, easy to share, and entertaining, which makes them an engaging type of content that users enjoy watching.
The short-form video trend is perhaps largely attributed to the success of TikTok, which has users spending almost an hour per day on its platform in the U.S., which has also influenced other social media platforms to launch a similar alternative. Currently, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube - all have started to push short-form video content more algorithmically.
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