Jun 20, 2018 - Technology

Instagram launches long-form video app called IGTV, rivaling YouTube

Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images

Instagram has unveiled its long-form, vertical video hub for professional creators, rivaling YouTube and, to an extent, Snapchat Discover.

Why it matters: The new app, which will exist as a tab within its regular app, is intended to be a premium outlet for video creators and is designed to make it easier to discover and watch videos on smartphones.

The experience is meant to be more passive — like television, Instagram says. The TV content experience brings the programming to you when you turn it on, which is different than online video, which usually requires users to go out and find the content they want to watch.

  • Unlike on Instagram, videos on IGTV aren’t limited to one minute. Instead, each video can be up to an hour long.

Between the lines: A new app means more ad inventory, and lucrative video ad inventory, for Instagram's parent company, Facebook.

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Jennifer A. Kingson
2 hours ago - Economy & Business

Markets swell as the economy shrinks

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

The economy is sputtering, but the markets are thriving — a highly unusual event that shows how the coronavirus has thrown all bets off.

Why it matters: The disconnect adds to the wealth gap. The richest 10% of households — who own 84% of stocks — are getting richer, while millions of out-of-work Americans cross their fingers that pandemic unemployment benefits will be extended.

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Axios
Updated 9 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. ET: 10,836,500 — Total deaths: 520,605 — Total recoveries — 5,723,808 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. ET: 2,735,554 — Total deaths: 128,684 — Total recoveries: 781,970 — Total tested: 33,462,181 — Map.
  3. Public health: The states where face coverings are mandatory — Regeneron stops trial after drug fails to help patients — What we know about the coronavirus immune response — Fauci says it has been a "very disturbing week" for the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S.
  4. Business: Top business leaders urge the White House to develop mandatory mask guidelines.
  5. Politics: Herman Cain hospitalized for COVID-19 after attending Trump Tulsa rally — Biden downplays jobs number, rebukes Trump for ignoring health crisis.
  6. Economy: The economy may recover just quickly enough to kill political interest in more stimulus.
  7. States: Texas mandates face masks in public spaces — Florida reports more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases, and its most-infected county issues curfew.
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Orion Rummler
10 hours ago - Health

Fauci: Coronavirus surges mark a "very disturbing week" in the U.S.

Fauci testifies to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on June 30. Photo: Al Drago/AFP via Getty Images

NIAID director Anthony Fauci told medical journal JAMA on Thursday that it has been a "very disturbing week" for the spread of the novel coronavirus in the U.S.

What's happening: The number of coronavirus cases increased in the vast majority of states over the last week, and decreased in only two states plus the District of Columbia, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports.

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