The popular Facebook-owned social app, Instagram, is set to expand its default video length limitation from 15 seconds to one full minute. The decision came two and a half years after the app introduced the video upload feature.
According to product manager Jeff Kanter, over 400 million active users had requested said feature as a means to better express themselves and their projects.
“We think this will provide a lot of flexibility,” Kanter stated. “One of the things we’ve heard from creators is just how much going longer than 15 seconds would help them tell their stories.”
Kanter revealed that video retention has grown by 40 percent within the last six months among users, although the company has not disclosed how many total users are consuming videos from the platform.
The company is recognizing the importance of longer videos as ordinary users and celebrities continue to embrace them. Taylor Swift, who has over 70 million followers, can be seen playing with her brother on Easter and hanging out with boyfriend Calvin Harris, for example.
These updates, according to Kanter, are only some of several new features being integrated over the next year. The company has been proactive in the facilitation and flexibility department, having just added a video view counter as well as a “Like” counter for all uploaded material, including photos.
Instagram has also started showcasing videos in its popular Explore section, where it normally curates and shows posts around prominent events. The app is also resuming multi-clip video uploading capabilities for iPhone users.
“It’s clear that more of the world is headed toward watching video,” Kanter stated. “A lot of that is happening on mobile, and they want to come to Instagram to do that.”