Instagram is testing a new tool that does not exist in the competition; Find out what it is

Instagram is intensifying its competition with TikTok by starting to test a new feature called Spin, which does not yet exist in the competing app. This feature allows users to repost Reels videos into new creations, replacing the creator's original text or audio to edit a clip with the same images. The goal is to generate trends and viral potential within the social network, in a similar dynamic to the “Sua Vez – Modelos” poster, which creates threads in Stories based on creative templates developed by the users themselves.

A test of this function was discovered by mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi and confirmed by Instagram on the TechCrunch website. The Meta social network stated that the feature is an internal prototype and is not being tested with external users. Considering that Reels was developed based on TikTok videos, copying many of their formats, the new functionality being tested shows Instagram's interest in launching different possibilities of using the tool for its user base, even if small.

This functionality under development requires creativity in using videos to adapt to a different context than the original text. For example, a user could record a video of a dog running and use the caption “Excited for Friday.” With Spin, another person can use the same photo of the pet and replace the phrase with something like “I'm running away from bills.”

A printout taken by Paluzzi and posted on X (formerly Twitter) shows that the user can decide individually whether the reel can be used in tournaments or not. At the time of publishing, the account holder will be able to enable or disable the functionality using a switch in the publishing settings. The screenshot also shows a brief description of the feature, noting that if others enjoy the video, the original creator will get more views from a larger audience.

It is worth noting that Spin has a different principle from the Remix function, which shares other users' reels with the screen split side by side to make duets or reactions, a function that also exists in TikTok. The courses, in turn, require more creativity when creating and do not create a sense of comparison between the two videos.

Since it's a prototype, there's no confirmation that Instagram will release Spin to end users, nor when that might happen. It is also important to highlight that if the tool is implemented in the application in the future, it may undergo changes in its operation with respect to the experience developed so far.

With information from TechTudo and TechCrunch.