Facebook is set to launch a standalone video app for the Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Samsung Smart TV, which sets its up in direct competition with YouTube.
The social media platform is aiming to encourage its users to upload and watch more videos on TV using its platform. The company has already made changes in its interface to distribute video content.
Dan Rose, VP of Business Development and Monetization at Facebook, revealed that the plan was long on going with its implementation of autoplay video ads that appear along its users' newsfeed, as well as the added feature of streaming live and Instagram videos.
Facebook announced that it has already set up changes to accompany its TV app. One of the features revealed was that the videos would follow the user's audio settings for their chosen devices, as well as opting not to crop vertical videos. Another feature to come to the app is the ability to play videos swiped to the side, making room to continue to scroll through the news feed.
Facebook's ability to stream videos through Apple TV's Airplay, as well as casting through Chromecast has been available for some time now, but it has since updated its user interface to display the videos in a new light.
The move to spread onto the TV platform, sets Facebook up in direct competition with YouTube, who have gained popularity through the ease of spreading video content, as well as allowing members to monetize on their content. Facebook is aiming to do the same.
The company is encouraging its users to consider Facebook as a platform to upload and consume videos, rather than an afterthought. The move confirms Facebook's intent of dipping into the professional content creation.
It has acted on to sign CollegeHumor's Ricky Van Veen last year, directly signifying that the team-up is to invite content creators to use the social media platform.