Instagram has launched a new feature called ‘Blend’, which allows users to create a personalised reel feel with their friends. Much like other similar features from the company, Blend works for both a one-on-one conversation and a group chat, such as with a group of friends.
Blend is an invite-only feature that provides a combined recommendation of reels that the people in the conversation might like, and the content in this custom feed is updated daily.
The new feature allows users to see reels that are not currently part of their recommendation engine, but because their friends like these reels, there is a good chance they might like them too.
In an incredibly rare occurrence, Blend is currently part of a handful of features that Instagram isn’t borrowing from TikTok. Instead, the feature is a way for the social media giant to bolster its app as uncertainty looms over TikTok’s future in the US.
Instagram and WhatsApp under the scanner:
In other related news, Meta is currently facing an antitrust lawsuit in the US over the company’s alleged attempt to buy its rivals and monopolise the social media market. Notably, Meta (then called Facebook) had bought Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 and WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2019, which later became the company’s core focus in the years to come.
The US Federal Trade Commission is trying to force the company to sell its two social media apps to curb its dominance.
In the case, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified that the company saw TikTok as a very urgent threat and even lost users as the Chinese rival began to grow in 2018.
“We observed that our growth slowed down dramatically…It was highly urgent, this has been a top priority for the company for several years.” Zuckerberg said.
Zuckerberg and his lawyers also said that Meta faces competition from a number of social media companies, including YouTube, iMessage, LinkedIn and TikTok.
