Snapchat’s ‘Reals’ Takes a Jab at Instagram’s Copycat Features

It’s April Fools’ Day, and Snap is playfully “announcing” a name change for Snapchat’s Spotlight feed, which is similar to Instagram Reels, now dubbed “Reals.”

In a video featuring co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel, Snap describes “Reals” as a space where “real people share real moments. Really.” Spiegel emphasizes that “People feel free to be their full selves and to keep it Real on Snapchat,” with “Real” highlighted in the video’s captions.

He also took the opportunity to remind users about Snapchat’s ephemeral Stories format, which, like TikTok’s vertical video feed, has been emulated by Instagram. “For years, people have used Snapchat for visual communication and self-expression, to watch Stories of their friends, and that authenticity and connection is what’s made Snapchat so special.” While Snap was the first to introduce Stories, it’s worth noting that Spotlight came after TikTok and Instagram’s short-form video features.

Since it’s April Fools’ Day, the name change to “Reals” is likely a joke, especially given the abundance of “real” puns in Spiegel’s video. I’ve reached out to Snap for confirmation, but for now, “Reals” appears to be a reality; the feed has already switched to the new name in the Snapchat iOS app for me.