Instagram wants in on 'long-form,' widescreen videos and its test begins now

androidcentral.com Oct 26, 2026

Instagram wants in on ‘long-form,’ widescreen videos and its test begins now

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Oct 26, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Instagram announced a test of “Features,” a new long‑form, widescreen video format that will run on both the mobile app and Instagram TV. Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri, who previously opposed long‑form content, said the shift reflects creators’ demand for varied storytelling, while VP of product Tessa Lyons emphasized that “Features” will complement, not replace, short‑form Reels. The rollout will begin this week in a limited test, with broader availability expected over the next month as Meta gathers feedback. Mosseri noted the format must remain “symbiotic” with Reels and preserve Instagram’s “friend connection” ethos. Existing features such as Live and carousel posts will continue alongside the new format.

💡 Why It Matters

· By blending extended video with its core short‑form experience, Instagram aims to keep creators on the platform as competitors expand into longer content, preserving user engagement across devices.

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Chrome 156 for Googlebook rolling out with 14 updates across sites, shortcuts,…

Google released Chrome 156 for Googlebooks, adding 14 updates that include hover tooltips in the AI Mode menu and several usability fixes for keyboard shortcuts. The update follows the previous browser release and is now widely available through the Play Store, with the stable desktop and mobile version having launched a week earlier. The patch also contains 13 improvement updates that address various bugs and performance issues across the platform.

💡 The new hover tooltips streamline AI interactions, reducing user confusion and speeding up workflow. The keyboard shortcut fixes enhance productivity for power users, making the browser more efficient for frequent navigation.

techcrunch.com · Oct 26

Watch out, YouTube — Instagram goes from short-form to 90-minute videos

Instagram announced a test of “Features,” allowing creators to upload videos up to 90 minutes, marking a shift from its short‑form focus. The rollout begins in Brazil and will expand to a small U.S. test, alongside “Clips as Reels,” which creates short reels from longer uploads and links to the full video. Instagram head Adam Mosseri said current creator earnings rely mainly on brand deals and a limited performance‑based program, while YouTube’s Partner Program pays 55 % of ad revenue and has disbursed over $100 billion in recent years. Meta hopes longer videos will keep audiences on Instagram and eventually introduce ad‑based monetization, challenging YouTube’s dominance. Creators also gain a hub for episodic Reels, improving discovery and encouraging content on the platform.

💡 By giving creators a home for both short clips and hour‑long stories, Instagram aims to lock viewer attention that would otherwise flow to YouTube, potentially reshaping ad revenue distribution across the two giants.

ign.com · Oct 26

Toastie Might Be the Weirdest iPhone Duo Game So Far

The iPhone Duo’s launch has inspired developers to explore its hinge, and the most unconventional title so far is Toastie, a novelty game that turns the foldable phone into a virtual grilled‑cheese maker. Players add ingredients, snap the Duo shut, and watch a digital sandwich toast, earning stars for recipe, plating, browning and speed. The app, created by Tom Szykulski and Cyprian Brytan, costs $3 and offers ten orders, three loaves and fourteen possible fillings. A version runs on standard iPhones and iPads without the folding mechanic, focusing purely on cooking. Development reportedly took “more evenings than either of them planned.” Toastie showcases how the Duo’s hardware can be repurposed for playful, non‑productivity experiences and may inspire further creative apps.

💡 By treating a premium foldable as a kitchen appliance, Toastie proves the Duo can generate novelty use cases that extend beyond traditional productivity, encouraging developers to experiment with hardware quirks.

windowslatest.com · Oct 26

Tested: Windows 11’s new Outlook now beats Outlook Classic at one thing…

Microsoft has rolled out an “All Accounts” view to the new Outlook for Windows, delivering a unified inbox that aggregates messages from every linked account. The feature, announced in June and deployed from late September to late October, adds a folder‑pane section that combines Inbox, Drafts, Sent, Archive and other folders across accounts, allowing users to read, delete, search, move, archive and flag mail without switching mailboxes. Activation is optional via Settings > Mail > Folder pane. Admin controls are slated for release later this month. The update restores a capability previously available only in the retired Windows Mail app. Early testers report faster triage of work and personal messages, though cross‑account search and shared mailbox support remain incomplete for power users in enterprises.

💡 By finally offering a unified inbox on Windows, Outlook closes a long‑standing usability gap that forced many professionals to juggle multiple apps, accelerating adoption of Microsoft's new mail platform.

9to5mac.com · Oct 26

Some seven years later, the iTunes Store is making an unlikely come-back

Apple’s retired iTunes desktop app has resurfaced as a niche sales channel for top pop artists. Since the 2019 shutdown, the company split iTunes into separate Music, Podcasts and TV apps, and streaming has dominated. Yet the Financial Times reports a “countermovement” in which musicians such as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Doja Cat, Summer Walker and Tinashe release iTunes‑only tracks or live versions to drive digital purchases. Ariana Grande’s surprise iTunes exclusive of a live “Petal” album lifted the record from No. 15 to No. 6 on the Billboard chart, while Swift’s “Life of a Showgirl” earned higher first‑week sales from physical and digital copies than from streams. Apple continues to market iTunes to labels, and industry observers are watching whether the strategy can sustain adoption.

💡 Exclusive iTunes releases let artists convert superfans into direct buyers, instantly boosting chart rankings in a streaming‑centric market.

techcrunch.com · Oct 26

The best apps for tracking your reading and discovering new books

A new roundup highlights five emerging book‑tracking apps that blend library management, goal setting, AI‑driven recommendations and social features. Fable pairs reading logs with a community feed, offering free access and a $5.99‑per‑month “Plus” tier for custom goals and analytics. Bookshelf positions itself as a Goodreads alternative, using AI to generate summaries, insights and thematic analyses, with premium features at $6.99 a month. Pagebound enables asynchronous discussion through progress‑based forums, charging $9.99 monthly for profile tweaks. StoryGraph focuses on data‑rich habit tracking and mood‑based suggestions, offering a free tier and a $4.99 StoryGraph Plus subscription for advanced charts. Margins caters to “mood readers” with vibe‑based discovery, aesthetic shelving and a meditation timer, available free on iOS and Android.

💡 These niche platforms show how personalization and community are reshaping reading apps, pulling users away from legacy services toward more tailored, interactive experiences.