Instagram has entered the competitive world of video editing with the announcement of Instagram Edits, a mobile app designed for creators. This strategic move comes in coincidence with the temporary ban of TikTok and its editing app, CapCut, in the United States.
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The announcement by Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, underscores Meta’s focus on providing innovative tools for content creators.
Editing suite or all
According to Mosseri, Instagram Edits is more than just a video editor. It is described as a comprehensive suite of creative tools tailored for mobile content creation. The app’s standout features include:
- Inspiration Board: A space to gather ideas and foster creativity.
- Idea Management: Tools for organizing drafts and ongoing projects.
- Advanced Camera: Enhancements to improve video recording quality.
- Robust Editing Features: Including AI-powered animations, green screen effects, text overlays, automatic subtitles, sound effects, and stickers.
- Collaborative Sharing: Options to share drafts with friends or co-creators.
- Watermark-Free Exports: Ensuring videos can be shared across platforms without branding.
- Real-Time Analytics Dashboard: Insights into engagement, views, and user interactions.
- Instagram Integration: Simplified export and performance tracking for Reels.
The app supports video creation up to 10 minutes long at a resolution of 1080p.
A CapCut copy?
While comparisons to CapCut are inevitable, Mosseri emphasizes that Edits takes a distinct approach. In a discussion on Threads with Chris Welch from The Verge, Mosseri highlighted Edits’ broader creative toolkit, which he acknowledges might cater to a more niche audience. Notably, development of the app began months before the recent bans of ByteDance apps, dispelling notions of a reactionary release.
Currently available for free pre-order on iOS, Edits will officially launch on March 13, 2025. An earlier release timeline mentioned February, but this has since been adjusted. For Android users, the app is “coming soon,” though a specific date has not been disclosed.
Building on past success
The timing of Edits’ launch aligns with heightened tensions surrounding ByteDance in the United States. The federal court’s temporary ban on TikTok and CapCut created uncertainty for ByteDance’s 170 million U.S. users. Although the ban has been delayed by an executive order, the episode highlights the fragile state of TikTok’s presence in one of its largest markets.
Meta appears poised to capitalize on potential user migration. During internal discussions, Meta’s leadership has explored how to attract former TikTok users. Instagram has also been testing new layouts reminiscent of TikTok’s vertical format to make its platform more appealing.
Meta’s success with Reels in 2020 demonstrates its ability to compete in the short-form video space. A recent TD Cowen survey revealed that, in the event of a TikTok ban, 29% of U.S. users would migrate to Reels, followed by 23% to YouTube Shorts, and 15% to alternative apps.
Additionally, Instagram’s dominance among advertisers gives it an edge, with 56% of ad buyers favoring Reels over competing platforms.
