Instagram tests Reels pause feature as TikTok remains in limbo

[grajaganDev]

Letting users pause a Reels video. Hard to believe this wasn't case all along.

This is user hostile:

"Previously, users have only been able to pause videos on Instagram Reels by tapping and holding on their screen."

[TheAceOfHearts]

In TikTok holding the screen causes it to play at 2x, they should probably reuse the same gesture to make user adoption smoother.

But still... A feature announcement for a fucking pause button is deranged.

[pjc50]

I'd always assumed these anti-features were intentional. For example, making it hard to pause reels causes them to roll over to the advert reel which is inserted between every two reels.

[edarchis]

Pause and rewind have been features since the phonograph. Vinyl and tapes could do it. Youtube did it (yet somehow they botched it for YT Shorts). Tiktok did it. Now Instagram feels like they invented something...

[pbmonster]

Par for the course, really. Still can't zoom into images on Instagram, can you?

The one and only supported image resolution is also lower than any of the screens I use.

The app is really hard to believe from a technical perspective, in general.

[nicce]

You can’t fast-forward/scroll any video in Instagram and it is by design. To get users stay on the platform as long as possible. And it works.

[bsnnkv]

Trying to use Reels after experiencing the (superior) UX of TikTok was hard enough, but trying to use Reels after experiencing the UX of XHS is pretty much impossible for me.

[noobcoder]

What's XHS?

[Elfener]

I have an userscript installed that turns the instagram video player into a regular html one, so in case I end up clicking an instagram link, I don't go insane while trying to watch something.

[Traubenfuchs]

I have that for youtube shorts.

Seeing them turned into regular videos shows how ridiculously stupid their format and user experience is.

[scotty79]

Same. Mine also Auto-Pauses video at the start.

[TheCapeGreek]

Am I missing something or hallucinating? Pretty sure I've always been able to pause reels on desktop and mobile. Instagram Lite lacked this functionality.

Lack of a progress bar you can skip through is what's been missing compared to TikTok.

Or was this just not a thing for US users specifically?

[SpaghettiCthulu]

I've only been able to pause by tapping and holding on the screen. And that only pauses while you keep holding. Also, for me, most reels have a progress bar you can drag around at the bottom, but there are some that just don't for whatever reason.

[RamblingCTO]

I also had this some time ago and then it was gone. Maybe just A/B testing?

[TheChaplain]

I've almost stopped using Instagram, these days I get ads that block scrolling on pictures or stories, it's simply not enjoyable anymore.

[EverForever]

Can someone explain to me why Meta or whoever doesn't just copy TikTok 1to1 with a new name? If TikTok really stops running in the usa, they would have an alternative product instead of Instagram reels and YouTube shorts, both of which obviously can't catch on.

[moshun]

Meta has basically copied TikTok as an 1:1 app at least twice, the most recent being Lasso. The problem most of these many companies trying to emulate TikTok’s success is that the UI/UX and content delivery aren’t the secret sauce. It’s a near bulletproof algorithm that needs comparatively little time to lock in your preferences. Add in the fact that TikTok really doesn’t encourage or reward following creators, it makes for a natural conflict with some of Meta’s base models for operation that they have trouble addressing.

That’s why some suggest that the recent regulatory assaults, cozying up to would be dictators and forced changing of ownership to American corporations is just manufactured corporate raiding by competitors that can’t keep up.