Facebook is focusing more on developing video inventory and content this year. As part of its video strategy the company has unveiled a new video app for TV.
Facebook is focusing more on developing video inventory and content this year. As part of its video strategy the company has unveiled a new video app for TV.
With the upgraded app, viewers can watch videos shared by friends; Facebook pages they follow; top live videos from around the world; and recommended videos based on user interests. The app will roll out to app stores for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart TV. Other platforms will be added in due course. In order to monetise its video content, Facebook is planning to test mid-roll video ads.
Facebook users were watching more than 100 million hours of video every day in early 2016, which are projected to grow. The company is in conversation with video creators to license content and is pushing some of its publishing partners to create longer videos in an effort to get more TV-style content onto the platform.
All of those long-form videos would, presumably, be available on the new TV app. The new app wont include ads to start with but is likely to carry ads in the future.
Facebooks set-top TV app will recommend videos for users, or let them watch videos theyve saved on other devices to watch later.
Facebook announced several updates to its video service including autoplay videos in News Feed, which will now play with the sound on.
Facebook is also adding a picture-in-picture feature so viewers can watch videos while continuing to scroll through News Feed.
