| Advertisement |
Video has come to Instagram. The popular photo-sharing service, owned by social media giant Facebook, launched video functionality Thursday as part of an update to the existing app. It was immediately available on iOS, and promised to update later Thursday for Android.
Advertisement
Like Vine, the Twitter-owned video app that launched earlier this year, Instagram's videos are limited in length, to a slightly longer 15 seconds.
It sets itself apart, however, by adding filters and the ability to delete individual segments of footage. Unlike Vine, however, the videos don't loop.
By Thursday afternoon, brands had already jumped on the new tool: Workout clothing company Lululemon and philanthropy organization Charity:water had posted videos on Instagram. And the director of social media at Gap said the 15-second time limit was no accident.
"The timing of the 15 seconds is very interesting," Rachel Tipograph, director of global digital and social media at Gap said. "They know that advertisers have a historical comfort level with purchasing 15-second spots. I don't think that number was random."
