Facebook is rolling out a fresh, full-screen video player that provides a more unified experience across various video types, including short-form Reels, long-form videos, and Live streams. Set to debut in the United States and Canada, this new feature simplifies the process of viewing and sharing videos. The video player will predominantly feature videos in vertical format and suggest the next relevant video for the viewer to watch, regardless of the video’s length or format.
This significant shift toward a vertical, full-screen mode aligns with the current trend in mobile video consumption and positions Facebook to compete with other platforms that use algorithmic video suggestions, such as YouTube and TikTok. This change could potentially influence essential metrics for content creators and advertisers, including watch time, view counts, and overall reach. From Facebook’s perspective, encouraging more video viewing on its platform could lead to increased onsite duration, advertising views, and clicks.
In addition to the revamped player, Facebook is enhancing its video recommendations that appear not only within the player but also throughout the Facebook Feed and Video tab. With short-form audiovisual content in demand, the platform will feature more Reels accordingly.
The new player is designed with intuitive controls, incorporating features such as a full-screen mode for horizontal videos and a slider for skimming through longer content. Users will also find it easier to interact with videos, having the ability to pause, and skip forward or backward by 10 seconds with a simple tap.
Although the player emphasizes the vertical video format popularized by TikTok, it remains versatile, offering users the ability to switch to full-screen landscape mode for horizontal videos. This update comes as TikTok itself has been experimenting with horizontal videos and longer content, hinting at the ongoing battle among social media platforms to capture users’ attention through various video formats.
The move to pivot towards the vertical video trend is a strategic one by Facebook, acknowledging the shift towards mobile video consumption. The new video player will initially be available on iOS and Android devices in the U.S. and Canada, with plans to roll out globally over the coming months.
This enhanced video experience on Facebook may also attract the younger demographic, particularly Gen Z, which has been showing renewed interest in the platform, as seen by trends like the resurgence of the “Facebook poke” and an increasing number of young users exploring Facebook Marketplace.
With potential regulatory actions against competitors such as TikTok, Facebook’s update comes at a time when video consumption patterns could be poised for a significant shift, providing the social media giant with an opportunity to reclaim a dominant position in the digital video space.
